Israel Defense Forces soldiers.
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Israel declared a state of war after Hamas fired 5,000 rockets from the Gaza Strip.
Reports of attacks by militants from the land sea, and air.
There have been reports of Palestinian militants even using paragliders.
Israel has declared a state of war after Hamas launched a wave of attacks from Gaza in a surprise attack, per the Israel Defense Forces.
“A number of terrorists have infiltrated into Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip,” read the IDF statement.
The major attack killed a 60-year-old woman and injured 15 others, The Washington Post reports. The Israeli military said residents in the area had been told to stay in their homes.
“The Israel Defense Forces will defend Israeli civilians and the Hamas terrorist organization will pay heavy price for its actions,” read the military statement.
“Over the past half an hour, barrages of rockets have been launched by the Hamas terrorist organization from Gaza into Israel. We urge the public in southern and central Israel to stay near protected areas and follow the instructions of the Home Front Command,” the IDF wrote on its website. It said sirens were activated in central and southern Israel.
There have been reports of Palestinian militants attacking by land, sea, and air – and even using paragliders.
Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif urged Israeli Arabs, neighboring Arabs, and Palestinians within Israel to join the fight in a rare statement, per The Washington Post. He dubbed the attack “Operation Al-Aqsa Storm,” and said Hamas had launched 5,000 rockets.
In addition to the rockets, armed gunmen infiltrated Israeli communities after crossing the border fence in several locations, per the IDF.
Israel has called up its reservists as it strikes targets in Gaza, per Sky News. The retaliatory strikes killed two Palestinians.
The wave of coordinated attacks across southern and central Israel is the heaviest in years, The New York Times reports.