Netanyahu warns Hamas: Stop Gaza drone launches or face intensified military action

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz held a security assessment on Sunday evening, joined by IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir and senior National Security Council officials, to address the threat of drones, kites, and balloons launched from the Gaza Strip. Netanyahu stated that Israel will not allow Hamas or any other entity in Gaza to threaten Israeli settlements or undermine the security of its citizens, declaring that the country will not return to the reality that existed before October 7. The Israeli leadership warned that if these launches do not cease immediately, the IDF will intensify interdiction efforts against those responsible, strike launch sites, and potentially move populations out of areas used for these operations. Earlier, Netanyahu described armed drones as lethal, accurate, and difficult to detect, noting that Israel is working on solutions to this global challenge. He confirmed that he has directed the security establishment and the IDF to take aggressive action to strike both the operators and the launch locations to protect Israeli citizens.