'Massive shooting of rockets' amid unprecedented Hamas operation against Israel

Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip have carried out an unprecedented infiltration into southern Israel, sending fighters across the border and firing thousands of rockets into the country as the ruling Hamas militant group announced the beginning of a new operation.

The Israeli military put the country on war alert and began striking targets in Gaza in response, setting the stage for what was likely to be a new heavy round of fighting between the bitter enemies. In a serious escalation, salvos of rockets fired from Gaza set off constant air raid sirens as far north as Jerusalem.

Videos posted on social media showed what appeared to be uniformed Palestinian gunmen inside the Israeli border town of Sderot. Another video from Gaza showed a crowd of Palestinian men dancing around and on top of an Israeli tank that was on fire. The authenticity of the videos could not immediately be verified.

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The elusive leader of Hamas’ military wing, Mohammed Deif, announced the beginning of what he called “Operation Al-Aqsa Storm”. “Today the people are regaining their revolution,” he said in the recorded message, as he called on Palestinians from east Jerusalem to northern Israel to join the fight and “expel the occupiers and demolish the walls”.

“We must set the earth on fire under the feet of the occupiers,” he said, claiming that Hamas had fired more than 5,000 rockets into Israel.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said he had convened his security cabinet for urgent discussions. Following the meeting, Israel’s defence minister announced that Hamas had started a war against