IDF on alert after Gaza terrorists fire rockets towards Mediterranean Sea

Hamas staged violent riots along the frontier on a near-daily basis throughout September, targeting Israeli forces with explosive devices and gunfire, renewing the launch of incendiary balloons into Israeli territory and setting fire to tires in the Strip.

Following talks brokered by Egypt, Hamas told negotiators that it would put an end to the incessant rioting.

The riots and terror balloons are believed to be a form of Hamas pressure on Israel and Qatar. JNS previously reported that Doha notified Hamas in mid-September it did not intend to renew its monthly aid package of $30 million.

Last week, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant warned that Jerusalem was ready for a possible conflict.

“We don’t want an escalation and are not seeking a fight, but if we arrive at a point where we need to act, ‘Operation Shield and Arrow’ should be a reminder to all [Gaza-based] terror groups about the capabilities of [Israel’s] security apparatus,” Gallant said at a ceremony commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur war.

He was referring to the IDF’s five-day campaign in May in which the military assassinated several top Palestinian Islamic Jihad leaders in Gaza. During the fighting, PIJ launched more than 1,250 rockets at Israel, to which the IDF responded by striking nearly 400 terror assets in the Strip.

“If Israeli civilians or soldiers are harmed, we will not hesitate to use all of our power to ensure the safety of citizens and return quiet to the border,” added Gallant.