A balloon carrying a suspected incendiary device is seen in Moshav Tarum near Beit Shemesh on October 27, 2018. (Israel Police)
A balloon carrying a suspected incendiary device landed near an agricultural community in the Jerusalem area Saturday, police said.
Sappers were called to Moshav Tarum outside of Beit Shemesh to deal with the suspicious device, according to police.
There were no reports of injuries or damage.
The tactic of sending airborne incendiary devices into Israeli territory has been used almost daily by Palestinians in the Gaza Strip since the start of weekly border protests there in March, but it was unlikely this balloon device was launched from the coastal enclave.
Gaza protesters have launched hundreds of such incendiary kites and balloons into Israel, sparking fires that have destroyed forests, burned crops and killed livestock. Thousands of acres of land have been burned, causing millions of shekels in damages, according to Israeli officials. Some balloons have carried improvised explosive devices.
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An Israeli policeman watches a fire started by a balloon with attached burning cloth launched by Palestinians from Gaza Strip in Karmia nature reserve park near Israel and Gaza border, Thursday, October 11, 2018. (AP/Tsafrir Abayov)
On a number of occasions over the past month suspicious balloons have been discovered in Jerusalem, the Givat Ze’ev settlement north of the city, Lod and the Tel Aviv suburb of Bat Yam.
Police have called for the public to be extremely careful around any such objects — balloons and kites — as they could contain dangerous explosive or inflammatory material.
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