Israeli airstrikes target Hamas compounds in Gaza for the 2nd time this week
For the second time this week, Israeli airstrikes hit Hamas facilities in Gaza, with military compounds and a launch site targeted late Thursday night.
In a statement, the Israel Defense Forces said the airstrikes were in response to incendiary balloons being launched from Gaza into Israel, where they started at least eight fires. On Wednesday, Israeli airstrikes hit Hamas compounds where militants met to plan attacks, the IDF said. Those airstrikes were also in retaliation for incendiary balloons being sent into Israel.
Last month, Israel and Hamas agreed to a cease-fire, following nearly two weeks of violence that left hundreds dead in Gaza and a dozen dead in Israel. For years, Hamas has launched incendiary balloons into Israel, and this is the first time Israel has responded with airstrikes, CNN reports. Israel Katz, Israel's former finance minister, tweeted that after last month's conflict between Israel and Hamas, his government "decided to change the rules. For every attack in Israel, targeted assassinations and widespread attacks on Hamas targets will be carried out."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
Political cartoons for January 18Cartoons Sunday’s political cartoons include cost of living, endless supply of greed, and more
-
Exploring ancient forests on three continentsThe Week Recommends Reconnecting with historic nature across the world
-
How oil tankers have been weaponisedThe Explainer The seizure of a Russian tanker in the Atlantic last week has drawn attention to the country’s clandestine shipping network
-
Why Greenland’s natural resources are nearly impossible to mineThe Explainer The country’s natural landscape makes the task extremely difficult
-
Iran cuts internet as protests escalateSpeed Reada Government buildings across the country have been set on fire
-
US nabs ‘shadow’ tanker claimed by RussiaSpeed Read The ship was one of two vessels seized by the US military
-
Maduro pleads not guilty in first US court hearingSpeed Read Deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores pleaded not guilty to cocaine trafficking and narco-terrorism conspiracy
-
Iran’s government rocked by protestsSpeed Read The death toll from protests sparked by the collapse of Iran’s currency has reached at least 19
-
Israel approves new West Bank settlementsSpeed Read The ‘Israeli onslaught has all but vanquished a free Palestinian existence in the West Bank’
-
US offers Ukraine NATO-like security pact, with caveatsSpeed Read The Trump administration has offered Ukraine security guarantees similar to those it would receive from NATO
-
Hong Kong court convicts democracy advocate LaiSpeed Read Former Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai was convicted in a landmark national security trial
