IDF slams Hamas targets; army chief warns of new round of hostilities

For now, IDF Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi’s planned trip to the United States on Sunday, which had already been postponed due to the escalation in Gaza, is scheduled to take place.

By World Israel News Staff

The Israel Air Force slammed more than 10 Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip Thursday evening, responding to the launching of fire balloons into southern Israel for the third day in a row.

A rocket alert sounded in the community of Kfar Aza, located close to the Gaza border, 17 minutes after midnight. Initial reports indicate that the rocket alert was activated due to anti-aircraft fire aimed at IDF planes over the Gaza Strip and not due to rocket fire, a source in the security services told TPS news agency.

“The IDF will continue to destroy the capabilities and military infrastructure of the terrorist organization and considers Hamas responsible for what is happening in the Gaza Strip,” the army stated.

The IDF warned civilians to evacuate certain buildings, Channel 12 reported.

The security cabinet, led for the first time by Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, will convene on Sunday. A situation assessment was held Thursday, which decided on a military response to the terror and even outlined targets for an attack in Gaza.

The defense establishment agreed that balloon terrorism “would be met with a violent and harsh response.” A senior military official added that “we are also counting the balloons that have already been launched in recent days, and the response will take them into account as well,” Channel 12 reported.