The Palestinian Islamist group Hamas launched the biggest attack on Israel in years on Saturday (Oct 7) in a surprise assault that combined gunmen crossing into several Israeli towns with a heavy barrage of rockets fired from the Gaza Strip. As warning sirens wailed across southern and central Israel, including in Jerusalem, Israel's military said it was on a war footing and the defence minister said the Iran-backed Hamas had made a "grave mistake" by declaring war on Israel. The Israeli military said it had launched air strikes into Gaza, where witnesses reported hearing heavy explosions. The attack marked an unpr (full story)

The ruling Hamas militant group in the Gaza Strip carried out an unprecedented, multi-front attack on Israel at daybreak Saturday, firing thousands of rockets as dozens of Hamas fighters infiltrated the heavily fortified border in several locations by air, land and sea and catching the country off-guard on a major holiday. Six hours after the invasion began, Hamas militants were still fighting gunbattles inside several Israeli communities in a surprising show of strength that shook the country. Social media was replete with videos of Hamas fighters parading what appeared to be stolen Israeli military vehicles through ... (full story)