The Islamist group Hamas launched its biggest attack on Israel in years today, in a surprise move with gunmen crossing the border and a barrage of rockets fired from the Gaza Strip.
As sirens sounded across southern and central Israel, including Jerusalem, the Israeli army declared a state of war, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convening an emergency meeting of security officials.
Today's episode was the most serious since the 10-day war between Israel and Hamas in 2021, with Israeli media reporting clashes between Palestinian militant groups and security forces in cities in southern Israel.
Mohammed Deif, a senior Hamas military commander, announced the start of the operation on Hamas media, calling on Palestinians everywhere to fight.
«This is the day of the greatest battle to end the last occupation on earth,» he said, adding that 5,000 rockets had been fired.
One Israeli woman was killed, according to emergency services, while ambulance crews were deployed to areas around the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli army reported that its forces are operating inside Gaza, without giving further details.
«A number of terrorists have infiltrated Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip,» the army said in a statement, adding that residents in the area around the Gaza Strip had been warned to stay in their homes.
Israeli media reported that gunmen opened fire on passersby in the southern Israeli city of Sderot, while videos circulating on social media appear to show clashes in city streets and gunmen in jeeps moving through the countryside.
Palestinian media also reported that a number of Israelis were taken captive by militants, while Hamas media released a video that appears to show a destroyed Israeli tank.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office announced that he will meet with senior security officials in the coming hours, while Defense Minister Yoav Galant approved the mobilization of reservists.
In Gaza, residents could hear the roar of rocket fire and reported armed clashes along the fence with Israel, near the southern city of Khan Yunis, and saw movements of armed fighters.
The Israeli ambulance service announced that teams had been dispatched to areas in southern Israel near Gaza and that residents had been warned to stay in their homes.
