ISRAELI drones and warplanes bombed an area south of the Gaza Strip on Saturday, destroying buildings and infrastructure in its latest assault on Palestine.

Israeli drones reportedly fired three missiles, hitting two outposts east of Khan Younis. Wafa News said that, just minutes later, F-16 fighter jets struck the same locations with two missiles, “causing huge damage there” and to nearby buildings.

The Palestinian health ministry said there were no casualties in the attacks.

Israeli military sources said the jets were targeting weapons-making facilities run by Hamas. The Israeli Defence Force (IDF) claimed it was responding to bombs tied to balloons sent by Hamas into Israeli territory.

Israel has refused to abide by a ceasefire brokered by Egypt and the United Nations last November after conflict flared between Israel and the Islamic Jihad group.

Earlier this month Israeli warplanes pummelled the Gaza Strip in what Israel said were retaliatory strikes.

Two million Palestinians living in Gaza have been subjected to a 12-year blockade, with much of its infrastructure destroyed by Israeli attacks.

Israel controls its land borders and access to the sea and airspace, cutting the enclave from the other Palestinian territories.