Operation Iron Swords: Israel at War
Hamas militants launched a surprise attack from Gaza, which Israel considers an act of war. The attack involved dozens of rockets being launched toward Israel, setting off air raid sirens across the country and raising the likelihood of a new round of heavy fighting. Israel says Palestinian militants are infiltrating from Gaza, and residents are told to remain indoors. The tensions between Israel and Palestine have been ongoing for years, with cycles of violence defined by periods of intense fighting followed by relative lulls. Israel tries to maintain a difficult balance with respect to Hamas, as it wants to punish Hamas for its attacks but does not want to overthrow the regime. The Israeli military usually carries out airstrikes in response to rocket fire, raising the likelihood of wider fighting.
On Saturday, the Palestinian group Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel, which included gunmen entering Israeli towns and firing rockets from the Gaza Strip. Israel considers this attack an act of war and has confirmed fighting with the attackers in several Israeli towns and army installations near Gaza. The Israeli ambulance service reported that at least 22 Israelis were killed and over 250 were injured, but the death toll is expected to rise. The Israeli military has responded with airstrikes in Gaza, where witnesses have reported hearing heavy explosions and at least two people have been killed. The Hamas militant group has claimed responsibility for the attack, which it has dubbed “Al-Aqsa Flood,” and has called on Palestinians to join the fight. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared a “state of war alert” and vowed to fight back, saying that “our enemy will pay a price the likes of which it has never known.” The tensions between Israel and Palestine have been ongoing for years, with cycles of violence defined by periods of intense fighting followed by relative lulls. Israel has announced ‘Operation Iron Swords‘ against Hamas militants after declaring a ‘state of war’.