Incendiary balloon
Incendiary balloonIsrael Police spokesperson

An RPG (rocket-propelled grenade) round was found on Saturday in an Israeli town belonging to the Sdot Negev Regional Council.

The round was attached to a balloon sent into Israel from Gaza.

Sappers arriving at the area neutralized the explosive safely, avoiding injuries.

On Saturday night, IDF fighter jets and aircraft struck several military targets in a Hamas compound in the southern Gaza Strip and underground structures in the northern Gaza Strip.

In a statement, the IDF said, "The strike was conducted in response to the projectile that was launched from the Gaza Strip at Israeli territory earlier this evening, in addition to the continued violence emanating from the Gaza Strip, which has included the launching of balloons carrying explosive devices and attempts to damage security infrastructure over the last days."

"The IDF views any attempt to harm Israeli civilians with great severity, and will continue to operate with determination against these acts of terror.

"The Hamas terror organization is accountable for all events transpiring in the Gaza Strip and emanating from it."

On Friday night, the Israeli Air Force struck Hamas terror targets in Gaza in retaliation for a rocket fired into Israeli territory earlier that evening.

The rocket exploded in an open field between two kibbutzim in the Eshkol Regional Council.

Earlier on Friday, security officials found three bunches of suspicious balloons. Attached to one of the bunches was a scarecrow depicting Ziad Al-Nakhaleh, the leader of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad.