Sharjah24 – Reuters: Israeli warplanes bombed Hamas sites in Gaza in response to incendiary balloons launched from the Palestinian enclave that caused brush fires in southern Israel, its military said early on Tuesday.

There were no immediate reports of casualties in the air strikes that targeted what the military said was a weapons production facility and a rocket launch site belonging to Hamas.

Since an Egyptian-mediated ceasefire halted 11 days of Israel-Hamas fighting in May, Gaza militants have sporadically sent balloons laden with incendiary material into Israel, drawing Israeli strikes on Hamas facilities.

Palestinians say the balloons aim to pressure Israel to ease restrictions on Gaza and permit aid to reach the territory. Balloons launched Monday set off fires in Israeli fields along the Gaza border, Israel's Fire and Rescue Service said.