Palestinian militants had begun a “war” against Israel which they infiltrated by air, sea and land from the blockaded Gaza Strip on Saturday, Israeli officials said, a major escalation in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Israeli medics reported 22 people killed.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said “we are at war” and vowed severe retaliation after ordering an extensive mobilisation of army reserves. “The enemy will pay an unprecedented price” for the surprise attack, he warned.
Iran-backed Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, released a video showing its fighters had captured three men dressed in civilian clothes and described as “enemy soldiers” in the video caption.
“We decided to put an end to all the crimes of the occupation (Israel). Their time for rampaging without being held accountable is over,” said the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, the Hamas armed wing.
“We announce Operation Al-Aqsa Flood and we fired, in the first strike of 20 minutes, more than 5,000 rockets.”
Israel’s army said its forces were fighting Palestinian militants on the ground in several locations near the Strip. It dubbed its operation “Swords of Iron”.
Army spokesman Richard Hecht said the militants conducted a combined raid “which happened through paragliders, through the sea and through the ground”.
He would not be drawn on reports that Israelis had been captured.
