Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to take immediate and forceful action against kites launched from the Gaza Strip into southern Israel.
Israeli security officials are still investigating whether Hamas sent at least four kites across the Gaza border Friday and Saturday to gather intelligence or experiment with methods that could be used in future attacks, N12 reported.
The kites landed in Israeli communities near the Gaza Strip, including Nahal Oz. Security officials are assessing whether Hamas, which continues to control Gaza, was responsible for the launches. The military said the devices themselves did not pose a threat, stressing that “no suspicious findings were identified on the kites,” and that “at no stage was there any danger to the public.”
Residents of Nahal Oz nevertheless expressed concern, warning that that the low-tech tactics were reminiscent of the October 7 invasion.
“I instructed the IDF to act immediately and forcefully against any phenomenon of launches from Gaza toward the communities of the western Negev,” Katz says in statement.
Authorities are examining unusually long strings attached to the kites, some extending several kilometers. Officials are considering whether the launches could have been intended to collect intelligence ahead of future operations or test techniques that could eventually be applied to fiber-optic drones, N12 reported. Such drones have been used in recent months on the northern front with Lebanon.
Kites and balloons launched from Gaza previously emerged as a threat during the 2018 border protests, when they were eventually adapted to carry incendiary devices that burned fields in southern Israel. Security officials are now considering whether groups in Gaza could be examining more advanced aerial methods used on other fronts.
At least one Israeli community instructed residents to remain vigilant and avoid approaching or touching unidentified objects because of the possibility that explosives or incendiary materials could be attached.
Israel had not responded militarily to the launches as of Saturday evening, prompting criticism from residents and local officials.
“This is exactly how escalation begins again — we must not ignore it and contain it again,” residents warned.
The head of the Sha’ar HaNegev Regional Council called for action before the launches develop into a broader phenomenon.
“If we want to put an end to the phenomenon when it is just beginning, we must cut it off at the initial stage and strike with force over every kite,” he said.