Israel strikes Hamas in Gaza over fire balloons

Israeli aircraft and tanks struck Hamas facilities in Gaza on Friday and militants fired half a dozen rockets towards southern Israel, the military said, as mediators work for calm along the volatile frontier.

Israel’s military said it struck underground infrastructure and a military post belonging to Gaza’s Islamist rulers Hamas overnight in response to incendiary balloons launched from the Palestinian enclave that have burned Israeli farmland.

Gaza militants then fired six rockets towards Israel, the military said, drawing a second round of Israeli strikes which hit a Hamas armed training camp.