An Israel Air Force aircraft struck the northern Gaza Strip on Thursday, the Israeli Army Spokesperson's Unit said. According to the statement, it struck a group of Palestinians launching incendiary balloons toward Israeli territory.

Israeli fire department teams put out three fires Thursday caused by incendiary balloons near Kibbutz Be'eri in southern Israel.

Earlier Thursday, Police and Sdot Hanegev Regional Council reported a balloon with a charge attached to it fell and exploded in one of the council's communities. A bomb squad officer arrived at the scene and found shrapnel.

"We look very gravely at this. We consider it a terrorist attack for all intents and purposes," said council head Tamir Idan. "We expect a harsh response and trust the IDF to execute the necessary actions to completely prevent terror in all its forms."

A 15-year-old Palestinian teenager was killed and five others were wounded by live Israeli gunfire on the Gaza border on Wednesday, Gaza's Health Ministry reported. The teen, Moamen Ibrahim Abu Eyada, was killed east of Rafah as Israeli forces opened fire during clashes with protesters at the border.