Tel Aviv: The ruling Hamas militant group in the Gaza Strip carried out an unprecedented, multi-front attack on Israel at daybreak Saturday, firing thousands of rockets as dozens of fighters infiltrated the heavily fortified border in several locations by air, land and sea, catching the country off-guard on a major holiday. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that the country was at war and that the “enemy will pay an unprecedented price”.
The early morning attack, which the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) described as “massive”, has left at least 40 people dead and over 740 injured, news agency Reuters reported.
The Israeli military said that at least 5000 rockets had been fired into Israel and that armed gunmen had crossed the border fence in several locations along Israel’s perimeter with Gaza. Palestinian militants infiltrated at least seven Israeli communities and army bases this morning, according to the Israeli military spokesman. He said the militants had reached the city of Sderot. The escalation comes after weeks of heightened tensions along Israel’s volatile border with Gaza, and heavy fighting in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
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