The IDF struck Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip overnight Monday after ten fires in southern Israel were sparked by incendiary balloons launched from the Strip on Monday evening.

IDF fighter jets struck a terrorist tunnel in Jabaliya, a weapons manufacturing site in Khan Younis and a rocket launching site in the Gaza City, located near a school in a civilian area.

Following the strikes, heavy machine-gun fire was directed at Israel from Gaza and in response, the IDF carried out another strike on a Hamas terrorist tunnel in Khan Younis.

תיעוד מתקיפות צה"ל ברצועת עזה הלילה, בתגובה להפרחת בלוני התבערה וירי המקלעים לעבר שטח ישראל: pic.twitter.com/xgmvr7CseH

— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) August 23, 2021

#BREAKING| Scenes of Israeli strikes currently bombarding different locations across Gaza. #GazaUnderAttack pic.twitter.com/zPUbacG6Tp

— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) August 23, 2021

Footage from the targeting of the #Hamas compound West of Khan Younis, #Gaza. pic.twitter.com/hiIGrXIcTj

— Aurora Intel (@AuroraIntel) August 23, 2021

Several fires today in southern #Israel have broken out as a result of arson balloons launched at Israel by terrorists in the #Gaza Strip. pic.twitter.com/C0unRge0fL

— Israel Foreign Ministry (@IsraelMFA) August 23, 2021

Palestinian terror groups have announced that they will be holding another “protest rally” along the perimeter border against the “Israeli occupation and the delay in the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.” The move comes despite the fact that Defense Minister Benny Gantz announced last week that a plan has been finalized to transfer Qatari funds into the Strip and the Kerem Shalom crossing remains opens for the transfer of goods from Israel to Gaza. Meanwhile, Egypt has closed the Rafah crossing in response to Hamas’ lack of cooperation in cease-fire negotiations.

Hamas has arranged for buses to transport Arabs from across Gaza to take part in the “rally” which has been named “The Sword of Jerusalem Shall Not be Sheathed.”

Hamas held a violent rally on Shabbos, during which an undercover Border Police sniper was critically injured.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)