Israel said it bombed Hamas sites in the Gaza Strip after incendiary balloons were launched from the Palestinian enclave. AFP
Israel said it bombed Hamas sites in the Gaza Strip after incendiary balloons were launched from the Palestinian enclave. AFP
Israel said it bombed Hamas sites in the Gaza Strip after incendiary balloons were launched from the Palestinian enclave. AFP
Israel said it bombed Hamas sites in the Gaza Strip after incendiary balloons were launched from the Palestinian enclave. AFP

Israel strikes Hamas sites in Gaza in response to fire balloons


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Israeli aircraft bombed Hamas sites in the Gaza Strip on Saturday in response to incendiary balloons launched from the Palestinian enclave, Israel's military has said.

There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage from the strike on what the military said was a rocket launching site and a compound belonging to Hamas, the group that rules Gaza. Hamas had no immediate comment.

Since a May 21 ceasefire ended 11 days of Israel-Hamas fighting, Palestinians in Gaza have sporadically launched balloons laden with incendiary material across the border, causing fires that have burnt fields in Israel.

Palestinians say the balloons aim to put pressure on Israel to ease restrictions on the coastal enclave that were tightened during the May fighting.

Balloon launches had mostly ebbed after Israel eased some restrictions on Gaza.

But on Friday, balloons were again launched from Gaza, causing at least four bushfires in areas near the Israel-Gaza frontier.

The Israeli military said its air strikes were in "response to continual launches of incendiary balloons from Gaza into Israel throughout the day".

The blazes along the Gaza frontier broke out on Friday as Israel separately traded fire over its northern border with Lebanon's Iran-backed group Hezbollah, in a third day of cross-border salvoes amid wider regional tensions with Iran.

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Timeline

2012-2015

The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East

May 2017

The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts

September 2021

Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act

October 2021

Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence 

December 2024

Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group

May 2025

The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan

July 2025

The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan

August 2025

Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision

October 2025

Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange

November 2025

180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE

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Updated: August 07, 2021, 8:09 AM