Israeli military attacked several sites belonging to the Hamas terror group in the Gaza Strip for a sixth night in a row over the continued incendiary balloon attacks and border unrest, the army confirmed early Monday.
The army's spokesperson said IDF tanks attacked two Hamas outposts in the coastal enclave after more than 30 fires broke out on Sunday in Israeli communities bordering the Strip, scorching over 250 dunams of land.
“The attack was conducted in retaliation to balloon launching from the enclave toward Israeli territory and in response to riots along the border,” the IDF Spokesperson's Unit said in a statement.
Some 200 Palestinian rioted late on Sunday in several spots along the security fence, hurling rocks and explosive devices at the troops. “In one location, the rioters were throwing grenades and IEDs toward IDF troops, who responded with riot dispersal means,” the army added.
After months of calm reinforced by the coronavirus pandemic, the Gaza-Israel frontier has turned volatile over the past week. Firefighting teams said since the onset of the latest escalation, over 149 fires had been started by incendiary balloons sent into Israeli territory.
Later in the day, a delegation of senior Egyptian intelligence officials is expected to arrive in the Gaza Strip and meet with the Hamas leadership, headed by Yahya Sinwar, in an effort to deescalate the situation.
Associated Press contributed to this report