TEL AVIV (ISRAEL) – Using fighter aircraft and tanks, Israeli troops attacked Hamas facilities in Gaza on Friday while the militants fired six rockets towards southern Israel, said Tel Aviv.
No casualties were reported on both sides.
Israeli defence authorities said they struck underground facilities and a military post of Hamas, which rules Gaza, overnight to retaliate against incendiary balloons launched from the enclave to destroy Israeli farmland.
When militants fired six rockets, Israeli forces retaliated by striking a Hamas training camp.
A military spokesperson said there was no information where the rockets struck, adding that none of them was intercepted by the Iron Dome system.
In a bid to pressure Israel to ease blockades of Gaza, Hamas has been launching dozens of helium balloons with incendiary material towards southern Israel.
On the other hand, mediators from the UN, Egypt and Qatar have been working to restore peace. Mediators from the United Nations, Egypt and Qatar have been working to bring peace to the enclave. Qatar’s envoy Mohammed Al-Emadi has been holding negotiations with Hamas leaders since Tuesday in Gaza.
For the past two weeks, Israel has been conducting strikes at night on Hamas targets daily, reiterating that it will not allow incendiary balloons.
Amid rising tensions, Israel has blocked land and sea access to Gaza and stopped fuel imports into the enclave. This forced the Palestinian authorities to shut down its only power plant last week.
Health workers have expressed fears of the coronavirus aggravating with the closure of the power plant in the enclave which is home to 2 million Palestinians.
(Photos syndicated via Reuters)
This story has been edited by BH staff and is published from a syndicated field.