ISRAELI air strikes hit the besieged Gaza strip today, the third attack since a ceasefire agreement was signed last month — as details of plans to bomb Iran were also revealed.

The Israeli Defence Force (IDF) said its assault on the Palestinian territory was a response to incendiary balloons launched from Gaza targeting Israeli settlements.

“In response to the arson balloons fired towards Israeli territory today, (military) fighter jets struck ... a weapons manufacturing site belonging to the Hamas terror organisation,” a statement said.

It is not clear which group was responsible for launching the balloons, which caused minimal damage, but Israel holds Hamas responsible for all rockets and other devices fired from Gaza.

The attacks were another breach of the ceasefire that brought an end to Israel’s 11-day onslaught in May, which killed more than 250 Palestinians, including 66 children.

Tel Aviv has been accused of war crimes with schools, hospitals and media organisations targeted in the bombardment, during which US President Joe Biden gave his backing to Israel and sold it $715 million of precision missiles.

Today’s attacks came as Hamas officials conclude a regional tour of Arab countries including Lebanon, Morocco, Iraq and Algeria.

The Islamist group warned against the normalisation of relations with Israel, which it said was “damaging to the Palestinian cause,” after a number of countries opened diplomatic ties under pressure from Washington.

Hebrew newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported on three Israeli plans to strike Iran today, which it said were discussed during IDF Chief of Staff Aviv Kohavi’s visit to the US last week.

He was alleged to have detailed threats of a military attack as Israel had “taken the decision to thwart Tehran’s military nuclear project.”

According to the newspaper “Kochavi spoke in the lecture about three military plans … that were developed during the term of the previous Benjamin Netanyahu government and that budgets were allocated for.”

The new administration led by far-right Prime Minister Natfali Bennett has pledged additional funds to prepare the plans “as soon as possible,” Mr Kochavi is alleged to have claimed.

The newspaper claimed the plans are separate from each other, with each one targeting a specific nuclear capability, but that there were a number of obstacles — the Iranian air defence system, advanced anti-aircraft missiles and underground nuclear facilities.

Israel’s plans were allegedly discussed with US government officials including Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan and the head of the CIA.