Israelis across the country on Shabbat and the holiday of Simchat Torah woke up to sirens sounding and the Hamas firing rockets at them from Gaza this morning.
Dozens of rockets launched from the Gaza Strip struck Israel on Saturday as sirens and booms were heard across the region and the military told southern residents to stay near bomb shelters.
Israel is “at war. Not an operation, not a round — war,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video statement in Hebrew after what he termed a “lethal, surprise offensive” by Hamas early Saturday.
Israeli defense said militants fired an estimated 2,200 missiles from Gaza Strip and infiltrated southern part of the country.
Israel declared a state of alert for war Saturday as dozens of rockets launched from the Gaza Strip struck the country and militants infiltrated southern towns in an unprecedented move. Israel sent warplanes to strike back. Hamas said it had launched a major operation against Israel.