IDF Strikes Targets in Gaza in Response to Incendiary Balloons After Unrelated Explosions Rock City

Explosions were reported in Gaza early Saturday morning several hours after several brush fires in southern Israel, which the Israeli authorities said were caused by incendiary bombs launched from Gaza. While the Israeli Defense Forces denied responsibility for the explosions, real strikes soon began.

Several unmanned aerial vehicles were reportedly operating over the Gaza Strip on Saturday morning. According to Quds News, there were explosions reported on agricultural land north of Beit Lahia, a city in the northern Gaza Strip, while another explosion was reported in central Gaza.

​Despite reports of IDF activity, conflicting reports also claim the explosions were the result of grenades. Additionally, the Times of Israel reported that the IDF wasn't conducting combat operations over the territory at that time. A reporter with Palestinian outlet Shehab News also reported the explosion in Beit Lahia was "internal."

About an hour after the first explosions were reported, anti-aircraft guns were reported engaging Israeli Air Force aircraft as several explosions were reported in the central city of Khan Younis as well as at the civil administration building in Jabaliya in the northern Gaza Strip.

Footage of anti-aircraft fire in northern Gaza was posted on social media.

شاهد| إطلاق نار صوب طيران الاحتلال شمال قطاع #غزة.#فلسطين pic.twitter.com/CoqeFiz2Yg

— شبكة قدس الإخبارية (@qudsn) August 6, 2021

After another hour, another set of airstrikes were reported in Beit Hanoun in northeastern Gaza and the civil administration building in Jabaliya was reportedly struck for a second time by IAF jets.​

Video of Hamas AA activity, northern #Gaza pic.twitter.com/AgpACUqXV5

— Aleph א (@no_itsmyturn) August 7, 2021

מטוסי קרב תקפו לפני זמן קצר בסיס טרור ששימש את גדוד כפר ג'בליא בארגון הטרור חמאס, וכן עמדת שיגור רקטות של הארגון בסמוך לכפר.
התקיפות בוצעו בתגובה להפרחת בלוני התבערה.
צה"ל ימשיך ויגיב בתקיפות כנגד נסיונות הטרור מרצועת עזה pic.twitter.com/T1mWuUHDkl

— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) August 7, 2021

On Friday, four brush fires in southern Israel were blamed on incendiary balloons launched from Gaza.

Also on Friday, Hezbollah launched nearly two dozen rockets from southern Lebanon into northern Israel and the Golan Heights, saying it was in response to earlier airstrikes by the IDF. However, an IDF spokesperson said the launches were not intended to be provocative as they were aimed at empty ground, so the risk of further escalation was low.