Israeli warplanes strike Hamas military posts in Gaza: sources

GAZA, June 17 (Xinhua) -- Israeli warplanes struck on Thursday some military posts of the al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) that rules the Gaza Strip, Palestinian security sources said.

Israeli media reported that the Israeli airstrikes on Hamas military facilities came in response to the launching of dozens of incendiary balloons into southern Israel from Gaza for the third consecutive day.

The Palestinian sources and eyewitnesses said that several explosions were heard in the northern and southern Gaza Strip, following the Israeli fighter jets airstrikes on Hamas military posts.

The sources said that severe damage was caused to the military posts, but no injuries were reported.

The Israeli media reports said that the incendiary balloons launched from Gaza caused at least eight fires in Israeli communities close to the borders.

Launching incendiary balloons at Israel has been going on since Tuesday, in protest against the Israeli rightists' holding of a flag march in East Jerusalem.

On Tuesday night, Israeli fighter jets attacked Hamas military posts in the Gaza Strip, the first since the end of the May 10-21 fighting between Israel and the Hamas-led militants.