Thousands of rockets have been fired from the Gaza Strip into Israel in a shock assault by the Hamas militant group on Saturday morning.
Large plumes of black smoke could possibly be seen rising from various Israeli cities.
Images on social media present automobiles on hearth and a few buildings broken, and the Israeli ambulance service reported one particular person had been killed and not less than 15 wounded.
Mobile telephone footage additionally reveals Hamas fighters trying to achieve Israel by sea utilizing small boats, and in a extremely uncommon growth, various Palestinian fighters appeared to have crossed the border utilizing paragliders, reaching the city of Sderot the place gun battles had been heard.
Footage from safety cameras reveals them coming into the city in pickup vans and motorbikes.
Air raid sirens sounded throughout southern and central Israel, and there have been explosions within the cities of Tel Aviv, Ashkelon, Yavne and Kfar Aviv.
The Israeli navy ordered residents of cities close to the border to stay indoors and mentioned it was hanging targets within the Gaza Strip.
Defence minister Yoav Gallant is alleged to be heading to Tel Aviv for an pressing replace and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has convened an emergency assembly of his safety cupboard.
The IDF has warned that “the Hamas terror group will pay a very heavy price”.
Hamas mentioned the operation had solely simply began and it’s a response to Israeli violence towards Palestinians within the West Bank, Gaza and round Al Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem.
The militant group has referred to as on armed teams in Lebanon to affix the combating.
Mohammad Deif, a senior Hamas navy commander, mentioned on Hamas radio that 5,000 rockets had been launched.
“This is the day of the greatest battle to end the last occupation on earth,” he mentioned.
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Source: information.sky.com”