The largest military incursion into Israel from the Gaza Strip has taken place

Gaza militants fired rockets at southern and central Israel this morning. According to the media, hundreds of rockets were fired across the country in 20 minutes. There are hits in residential houses. This is reported by Reuters with reference to Israeli officials, local testimonies and statements of Hamas. Videos are spreading in social networks.

A 60-year-old woman was killed in the neighbourhood of Gederot because of the rocket attack. Another 16 people across the country are wounded. Israeli media reports a direct hit on a house in Tel Aviv and a building in Ashkelon. The IDF has declared a state of readiness for war and is striking back, with fighting in the streets.

This is an "unprecedented" infiltration of Hamas militants into Israel from Gaza and the most serious escalation since the 10-day Israel-Hamas war in 2021, the media outlet noted.

Israeli citizens are fleeing the border areas to avoid being killed.

Air-raid sirens sounded across southern and central Israel, and explosions rang out in the cities of Tel Aviv, Ashkelon, Yavneh and Kfar Aviv.

Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Galant said Hamas has declared war on his state. The Israeli army has announced the launch of the Iron Swords counter-terrorist operation in the Gaza Strip.

Hamas made a grave mistake this morning and launched a war against the State of Israel. IDF soldiers are fighting the enemy in all infiltration points. The State of Israel will win this war," said the country's Defence Minister Yoav Gallant.

For its part, Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, said on Saturday that it was launching a major operation against Israel, Al Jazeera reported.

Muhammad Def, head of Hamas' military wing, announced that the movement had fired 5,000 rockets into Israel, marking the start of Operation Flood Al-Aqsa. He called on all Palestinians to take up arms.

According to the TV station, the Palestinian paramilitary movement Islamic Jihad said it was joining the Hamas action.

Mobile phone footage also shows Hamas militants trying to reach Israel by sea using small boats and, very unusually, several Palestinian militants appear to have crossed the border using parachutes.