Four kites believed to have crossed from Gaza found in southern Israel
Israeli officials say the kites may have been used to test future attack methods, with no explosives found on the devices.
- On Saturday, the Israel Defense Forces reported that children and teenagers launched at least four kites from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory over the past 24 hours under Hamas orders, with no explosives attached.
- Authorities are investigating whether the kites were used for intelligence collection or to test fiber-optic drone tactics similar to methods employed by Hezbollah in Lebanon, though initial examinations found no explosives or incendiary devices.
- Residents near the Gaza border reported the incidents revived painful memories of October 7, warning that ignoring these tactics could lead to repeating pre-October 7 security failures and complacency.
- Yisrael Beytenu MK Avigdor Liberman warned that "whoever allows explosive balloons and kites will receive rockets and missiles," while HaNegev Regional Council head Uri Epstein demanded immediate, forceful IDF action.
- The IDF Southern Command maintains that its "yellow line" remains a firm operational boundary, with anyone crossing the perimeter subject to immediate fire or detention as the military continues targeted strikes.
45 Articles
45 Articles
Israel warns Hamas over kite launches from Gaza
The Israeli military believes Hamas was behind the launches, and may have been testing how Israel would respond. Read more at straitstimes.com.
Israel's border population with the Gaza Strip fears that it resembles the use that the terrorists began to make of them since 2018, making it more...
The equipment did not carry explosives, but revived the memory of incendiary balloons launched in recent years.
"It is the army's responsibility to act in time," said Uri Epstein, a representative of communities living close to the border with Gaza, many of whom were attacked during the Hamas attack on 7 October 2023.
Israeli media reported that four comets were found on Saturday in communities near the Gaza border and that the army shot down one on Sunday
Israel warns of strikes, evacuations over kites launched by Palestinian children in Gaza
Israel warns of strikes, evacuations over kites launched by Palestinian children in Gaza Submitted by Ayse Betul Aytekin on Sun, 08/23/2026 - 19:51 Israeli officials hold a special security meeting over Gaza's paper kites, warning they would be treated as drones. Boys fly a kite against the backdrop of smoke rising from a shelter that houses displaced Palestinians, after an Israeli air strike in the west of Khan Yunis, southern Gaza, 31 Januar…
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