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Palestinian fishermen go fishing on their boat at a seaport in Gaza, June 12, 2019. Israel announced on Wednesday night it has imposed a naval blockade on the Gaza Strip after helium-filled incendiary balloons were launched from the coastal enclave. Earlier on Wednesday, helium-filled balloons from Gaza caused eight fires in southern Israel's farmlands, according to figures released by Israel's Fire and Rescue Services. The move came after Israel on Tuesday night reduced the fishing zone it allowed off Gaza from 15 nautical miles to 10 following several balloons from Gaza. Israel frequently increases the restrictions on the fishing zone off Gaza as a punitive measure or to press Hamas, a Palestinian Islamist group that runs the Palestinian enclave. (Xinhua/Stringer)

JERUSALEM, June 12 (Xinhua) -- Israel announced on Wednesday night it has imposed a naval blockade on the Gaza Strip after helium-filled incendiary balloons were launched from the coastal enclave.

A statement issued by COGAT, the Israeli defense ministry unit that oversees such regulations, said that the naval blockade will be held "until further notice."

COGAT cited incendiary balloons as the reason for the move.

Earlier on Wednesday, helium-filled balloons from Gaza caused eight fires in southern Israel's farmlands, according to figures released by Israel's Fire and Rescue Services.

The move came after Israel on Tuesday night reduced the fishing zone it allowed off Gaza from 15 nautical miles to 10 following several balloons from Gaza.

Israel frequently increases the restrictions on the fishing zone off Gaza as a punitive measure or to press Hamas, a Palestinian Islamist group that runs the Palestinian enclave.

The Gaza Strip, home to about 2 million people, has been under Israeli and Egyptian blockade since 2007. Under the blockade, Israel strictly limits exit and entering of people as well as goods, inflicting a humanitarian crisis on the territory.