‘Massive shooting of rockets’ amid unprecedented Hamas operation against Israel

Following the meeting with the security cabinet, Israel’s defence minister announced that Hamas had started a war against the country and pledged that “Israel will win”.

Israeli firefighters extinguish fire after a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip hit a parking lot in Ashkelon, southern Israel on Saturday (Picture: AP /Tsafrir Abayov)

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.