Israel accuses Hamas of planning drone attacks using kites and balloons

Smoke rises after an airstrike in the al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis. | BLOOMBERG

Bloomberg

Aug 25, 2026

Israeli officials have accused Hamas of planning renewed attacks on its territory using kites and balloons, and gave the Iran-backed militant group until Wednesday to rein in their use or face reprisals.

The Israel Defense Forces has been instructed to “adopt a policy of zero containment and zero tolerance toward the launching of kites and balloons from Gaza toward the communities of the Negev,” Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a statement on Monday, referring to a region targeted during the October 2023 Hamas attacks that triggered the war in Gaza.

“If the launches continue, forceful action will be taken to put an end to the phenomenon,” he said. “A balloon or kite will be treated the same as a drone, with or without explosives.”

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