Israeli PM declares ‘We are at war’ after unexpected air and ground attack by Hamas

In a significant escalation of the long-standing conflict between Israel and Palestine, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared the country to be “at war” on Saturday.

This announcement came after Palestinian militants in Gaza launched a large-scale assault involving a barrage of rockets and ground incursions into Israeli territory, , CNN reported.

The surprise attack, which began early Saturday morning, resulted in at least 40 deaths and over 779 injuries, according to Israel’s rescue service Magen David Adom (MDA). The scale and scope of the assault are unprecedented in recent history.

Approximately 2,200 rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip into Israel starting at 6:30 a.m., as per the Israeli military. Concurrently, armed gunmen infiltrated across the border in a ground assault into southern Israel. Explosions were heard over Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and in southern Israel, with air raids forcing Israelis to seek shelter underground.

Netanyahu stated that operations were underway to clear out militants from infiltrated towns and that he had also issued a call-up of reservists. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) released video footage of airstrikes on Hamas in Gaza.

Hamas claimed to have captured several Israeli soldiers near the border after its fighters entered Israel by land, sea, and air using paragliders. However, Israel’s military has not confirmed these reports.

Hamas military commander Muhammad Al-Deif dubbed the operation “Al-Aqsa Storm” and stated that the group had targeted enemy positions, airports, and military positions with 5,000 rockets. He added that the assault on Israel was a response to attacks on women, the desecration of the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem, and the ongoing siege of Gaza.

IDF spokesman Lt Col Richard Hecht confirmed that Israeli forces were currently engaged in ground combat. He listed several locations where fighting was taking place, including villages, army bases, and border crossings.

Residents of Kibbutz Beeri and Kibbutz Nir Oz reported attempts by assailants from Gaza to break into their homes. One resident described how his family had barricaded themselves in a safe room while militants fired at their door.

The current conflict marks a major escalation on the 50th anniversary of the 1973 War in which Arab states blitzed Israel on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar.