The Israeli military said it struck Hamas militant sites in the Gaza Strip early Thursday in response to continued launches of explosives-laden balloons from the Israeli-besieged Palestinian territory into Israel. The military said its targets included a compound used by Hamas' naval force and underground infrastructure and observation posts. There were no immediate reports of casualties on either side. Israel and Hamas have fought three wars and numerous smaller flareups since the Islamic militant group seized control of Gaza in 2007. The two sides have largely observed an unofficial truce in recent months, but recent days have seen a resurgence of the incendiary balloons militants have sent from Gaza that have set off heavy fires in neighboring Jewish agricultural lands. Israel holds Hamas responsible for all fire out of the coastal enclave. As part of its reprisal, Israel also announced it would halt the import of fuel into the Gaza Strip and reduce the fishing area off the Gaza coast. *This story was edited by Ahram Online
