Israeli Air Force (IAF) fighter jets on Tuesday night attacked Hamas military targets in the Gaza Strip in response to arson and explosive balloons and a rocket launched by Gazan terrorists into Israeli territory during the day.

The IDF stated that one of the targets was a military compound of one of Hamas’ special units.

This was the eighth IDF attack in the Strip in recent days that was carried out in response to the arson balloon attacks.

Earlier in the evening, Gazan terrorists launched a rocket at Israeli civilian targets in the Ashkelon area exploding in an open area, causing no damage or injuries.

Two civilians were slightly injured while falling on the way to the shelters. A 10-year-old girl with a limb injury and a 7-year-old girl with bruises on her face and limbs were treated and evacuated by MDA teams in light condition for further treatment in the hospital.

Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke on Tuesday evening with local council heads from the area adjacent to the Gaza Strip and claimed that the government has “adopted a policy that fires are like rockets.”

“We have been active for the past 10 days straight in shelling the infrastructures of Hamas and the terrorist organizations. We have also imposed various sanctions in areas that are important to Hamas,” he said.

He said that Israel is also preparing “for the possibility of a round or rounds” of violence with Hamas.

“Hamas will be making a very great mistake if it continues like this. Even now it is receiving an indication of where this will lead. It will certainly remember where it has led and I hope that Islamic Jihad also remembers where it has led,” he said ominously.

He further threatened that the IDF has “not spared any measure including – in the event of the development of a campaign – targeted counter-measures, and there is no such restriction today either.”

After months of relative quiet, terrorists in the Gaza Strip have relaunched their campaign to send balloons tied to flammable materials and explosive charges into communities in the vicinity of the Strip.

The arson attacks have ignited fires, but no one was injured in the attacks and no damage to property was caused.

On Tuesday, firefighters worked to extinguish 39 fires.

Most of the fires were small and not dangerous, the Fire Department noted.

However, the KKL-JNF stated that hundreds of fires have consumed thousands of acres, and much damage was caused to trees and animals in the affected areas.

Environmental experts ‎say it ‎‎‎‎will take at least 15 years to rehabilitate ‎the ‎‎‎‎vegetation and wildlife that have been destroyed.‎

Israeli Air Force (IAF) fighter jets on Monday night attacked Hamas underground infrastructure in the Gaza Strip in response to the arson and explosive balloons launched by Gazan terrorists into Israeli territory during the day.

This was the seventh IDF attack in the Strip in recent days that was carried out in response to the arson balloon attacks.

After months of relative quiet, terrorists in the Gaza Strip have relaunched their campaign to send balloons tied to flammable materials and explosive charges into communities in the vicinity of the Strip.

The arson attacks have ignited fires, but no one was injured in the attacks and no damage to property was caused.

On Monday, firefighters worked to extinguish 19 fires, including an outdoor fire in a kindergarten yard in the city of Sderot. The fires were in the area of Eshkol Regional Council and Sha’ar Hanegev.

Most of the fires were small and not dangerous, the Fire Department noted.

However, the KKL-JNF stated that hundreds of fires have consumed thousands of acres, and much damage was caused to trees and animals in the affected areas.

Environmental experts ‎say it ‎‎‎‎will take at least 15 years to rehabilitate ‎the ‎‎‎‎vegetation and wildlife that have been destroyed.‎

IDF tanks on Sunday night shelled Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip in response to dozens of arson balloon attacks on southern Israel earlier in the day.

The IDF stated that it hit Hamas observation posts in the strip.

This was the sixth IDF attack in the Strip in recent days that was carried out in response to the arson balloon attacks.

After months of relative quiet, terrorists in the Gaza Strip have relaunched their campaign to send balloons tied to flammable materials and explosive charges into communities in the vicinity of the Strip.

The arson attacks have ignited fires, but no one was injured in the attacks and no damage to property was caused.

Israel’s south saw a significant escalation in the violence emanating from the Gaza Strip over the weekend as terrorist organizations and the IDF exchanged blows throughout the night.

Throughout Saturday, Gaza-based terrorists launched balloons tied to explosive charges and flammable materials into Israel, causing fires in areas in the vicinity of the Strip.

In response, the Israeli Air Force (IAF) bombed Hamas military targets, including a military compound and underground infrastructure.

Later in the evening, terrorists launched two rockets at the city of Sderot. Both rockets were intercepted by the Iron Dome defense system. Remnants of one of the interceptors caused damage to a home.

MDA paramedics treated a 58-year-old man who was slightly injured by glass fragments, and two women who were injured while running for shelter. Two victims suffering from anxiety were treated on the spot and did not need to be evacuated.

Responding again, the IAF launched another round of attacks on Hamas targets, hitting a rocket storage depot.

“The IDF takes all terrorist activity against Israeli territory very seriously and will continue to act as much as necessary against attempts to harm the citizens of the State of Israel and its sovereignty,” the military stated after the strikes.

“The Hamas terror organization bears responsibility for what is happening in and out of the Gaza Strip, and will bear the consequences of terrorist acts against Israeli citizens,” it added.

Hamas stated Saturday that “the unabated bombing of the Gaza Strip and targeting Palestinian citizens, including children and women, are a serious escalation and a red line that the Israeli occupation should be responsible for all of their consequences and repercussions.”

“The Palestinian resistance is prepared to handle all scenarios to repulse the Israeli aggression, break the Israeli siege on the Gaza Strip, and protect the Palestinian interests,” the terror organization threatened.

The IDF’s Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) announced Sunday morning that all fishing off Gaza’s coast was banned. This announcement was made after the fishing zone was reduced last week.

The Kerem Shalom crossing into Gaza, which was shut down last week, remained closed Sunday, and only humanitarian aid was allowed into the Strip from Israel.

“Israel will respond firmly and rigidly to all terrorist acts that harm the citizens of the State of Israel and its sovereignty and will continue to act as necessary against these attempts,” COGAT stated.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi congratulated the Lithuanian government for its decision to recognize Hezbollah, in all its branches, as a terrorist organization, lauding it as “a courageous and important decision to maintain regional stability.”

The Lithuanian Foreign Ministry stated Thursday that “having taken into consideration the information acquired by our institutions and partners, we may conclude that Hezbollah uses terrorist means that pose threat to the security of a significant number of countries, including Lithuania.”

Lithuania’s Foreign Minister Linas Linkevičius stated that his country “appreciates the successful cooperation between the Lithuanian and Israeli national security agencies. We are thankful to these institutions for their significant work in helping ensure the safety of our citizens.”

Hezbollah operatives and affiliated persons are now banned from entering Lithuania. The ban is valid for 10 years.

“It is important to note that we support peaceful people of Lebanon and their wish for their country to implement necessary reforms,” added Linkevičius.

Ashkenazi spoke with Linkevičius and personally thanked him for the Lithuanian government’s decision.

“Hezbollah is a terrorist organization that has imposed terror in large parts of Lebanon and turned them into Iranian-protected areas while taking Lebanese citizens, it’s economy and its political system hostage,” Ashkenazi stated.

Lithuania’s decision to recognize is “important and necessary, and it is good that there is agreement among many European countries on the subject.”

He called on all European countries, as well as the European Union, to join this decision and understand that Hezbollah is “a dangerous and unstoppable terrorist organization that continues its attempts to carry out terrorist attacks around the world, dispatched and funded by Iran.”

Hezbollah was established in 1985 during the Lebanese civil war and is committed to the destruction of the State of Israel. It is funded and supported by Iran.

Israel, the Netherlands, the US, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Canada, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Colombia, Honduras, Argentina, Paraguay, the United Kingdom, and Germany have all banned Hezbollah.

Some other countries, including the European Union, have banned Hezbollah military wing, but not its political wing, which is very powerful in Lebanon.