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Photo:
Scene. Published by Maan News
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BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- A large fire could have erupted due to an incendiary balloon launched from the besieged Gaza Strip near the Israeli Iron Dome defense system anti-missile battery in southern Israel.

According to 0404 news outlet, an incendiary balloon landed in southern Israel, near the Iron Dome defense system anti-missile battery, and caused panic in the area.

The battery near which the incendiary ballon landed is one of the ten Iron Dome batteries that protect all of Israel, with each battery including three to four stationary launchers and 20 Tamir missiles, as well as a battlefield radar.

Sources mentioned that military officials feared that if the fire spread, it would reach the battery of the defense system, which could have led to a catastrophe in the region.

Israeli firefighters on the ground immediately arrived to the scene and managed to extinguish the fire in time, with the help of several aerial firefighters overhead dumping fire retardant over the area.

The site added that the Israeli military censorship banned them from publishing the video of the incident and allegedly attempted to hide the details from the public.

In July, it was reported that about 6,000 dunams (1482.6 acres) of agricultural produce as well as thousands of dunams of open fields were burned due to about 678 fires caused by incendiary kites and balloons flown from inside the Gaza Strip towards southern Israel.

Palestinians in Gaza view the incendiary kites as a form of protest against Israel's nearly 12-year blockade of Gaza and for Palestinian refugees right of return to their homes and lands which are now known as Israel.

The video below shows aerial firefighters dumping fire retardant over the area: [click here to view]