Can you believe what just went down in Israel? It's like something out of an action movie, but this is as real as it gets. Picture this: a surprise attack where militants slipped into Israel from Gaza while rockets were pouring in. It's chaos.
There's word on the street that some Israelis got snatched as hostages by these militants. Talk about a high-stakes situation! Israel wasted no time, responding with a flurry of air strikes on Gaza. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wasn't holding back; he straight-up declared that Israel is in a full-blown "war" mode, and Hamas, those Gaza rulers, are in for a world of hurt.
Netanyahu didn't sugarcoat it either; he called it a "murderous surprise attack." This wasn't just any breach of security. Somehow, Palestinian militants managed to slip through one of the most fortified borders on Earth. The big question is: How on earth did they pull that off?
The Israeli military sprang into action, launching air strikes on multiple Hamas targets in Gaza. They hit 17 military spots and called up tens of thousands of reservists. Unfortunately, two Palestinians lost their lives in the crossfire.
The rocket attacks from Gaza started raining down on the Jewish Sabbath, turning a peaceful day upside down. Sirens blared across the country, warning people about these "terrorists" on their doorstep. Folks in southern and central areas were advised to stick close to shelters. It's a nightmare scenario.
Online videos started popping up, showing heavily armed Palestinian militants cruising around in pickup trucks near Sderot. Can you believe that's just a mile away from Gaza? Some even had shootouts with Israeli forces. There's also some buzz about Israelis possibly being taken hostage.
The injury count kept climbing, with ,over 500 Israelis hurt in these Hamas attacks. Tragically, one local leader, Ofir Liebstein, paid the ultimate price while defending his community. The rocket onslaught just didn't let up, with thousands of rockets targeting Israel.
Netanyahu wasn't mincing words – he wasn't calling it an "operation" or an "escalation." Nope, it's flat-out war. He ordered a massive mobilization of reserves and promised a major retaliation.
Hamas's top military commander, Mohammed Dief, kicked off
the operation, rallying Palestinians to join the fight. Meanwhile, Palestinian
President Mahmoud Abbas was standing up for his people's right to defend
themselves against what he called the "terror of settlers and occupation
troops."
Amidst all this chaos, there's one burning question: How did Israeli intelligence miss this super-coordinated attack?
On the international front, condemnation poured in. The UK, European Commission President, and the United States – they all spoke out against the violence. But here's a curveball – Iran decided to back the Palestinian attack.
Israel woke up to an insane surprise attack, and things are still super tense. The world's holding its breath, hoping for a peaceful resolution to this heartbreaking conflict.