Israel has threatened to intensify military operations in Gaza after a series of kite, balloon and drone launches from the Strip towards Israeli communities near the border.
The warning from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz came after Israeli authorities reported an increase in the launches in recent days, raising concerns of a return to tactics that previously caused fires and damage to agricultural land in southern Israel.
Israeli media reported that about 10 kites had crossed from Gaza into Israel since Friday. The Israeli military said the devices detected so far were not carrying explosives, but officials indicated they were treating the launches as a security threat.
Following a security assessment on Sunday, Netanyahu and Katz warned that Israel would target those responsible if the launches continued.
“If the launches do not stop immediately, the IDF will step up operations against those responsible,” the Israeli leaders said.
Israel also threatened to evacuate residents from parts of Gaza identified as launch areas, adding another potential source of displacement and tension in the territory.
The latest dispute has revived memories of 2018, when Palestinians launched incendiary kites and balloons across the Gaza border, causing fires in Israeli farmland and triggering Israeli military responses.
Hamas, however, has denied responsibility for the latest launches.
Bassem Naim, a member of the group’s political bureau, said the kites were launched by children in Gaza who were seeking to reclaim a sense of normal childhood amid the destruction.
Hamas has also accused Israel of using the launches as a pretext for renewed airstrikes in central Gaza.
Israeli airstrikes were reported in Gaza on Sunday, with Palestinian officials reporting deaths and injuries. Reuters reported that at least two Palestinians, including a four-year-old child, were killed in separate Israeli strikes, while seven others were injured.
The developments come as efforts to revive negotiations over a broader Gaza peace plan remain stalled. Recent talks involving US envoy Jared Kushner failed to produce a breakthrough, with Israel continuing to demand the disarmament of Hamas while Hamas insists on an Israeli military withdrawal.
The dispute over the seemingly low-tech airborne devices therefore risks becoming another flashpoint in an already fragile situation, with Israel warning of stronger military action and Hamas denying involvement.
