MILITANTS UNLEASH HELLFIRE ON ISRAEL

TERRORISTS' SURPRISE ATTACK

- Marco Giannangeli

ISRAEL was at war last night after Hamas terrorists launched a deadly attack by land, air and sea.

More than 200 Israelis were killed and 1,000 injured after the biggest assault on the country for years. Thousands of rockets were fired, fences smashed with bulldozers and heavily armed extremists attacked using paragliders.

The Israeli Defence Force intercepted at least four boats off the coast, including two speedboats, with dozens of terrorists onboard.

It is feared hundreds more Israelis, both military and civilian, are now being held hostage.

As Hamas urged Israel's enemies to join its attack, the country's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, hit back with devastating airstrikes in the Gaza Strip.

Declaring a mass mobilisation of his forces, he addressed the nation: "We are at war. Not an 'operation', not a 'round', but at war."

"The enemy will pay an unprecedented price," he said, vowing Israel would "return fire of a magnitude the enemy has not known".

He said Israel will take "mighty vengeance for this black day".

PM Rishi Sunak condemned the attacks and President Joe Biden warned Hamas "our support for Israel's security is unwavering".

Mr Sunak said he was "shocked" by the attacks, adding, "Israel has an absolute right to defend itself."

The first victim of the attacks is believed to a local mayor who was defending his town. Ofir Liebstein, the head of Sha'ar Hanegev Council, was killed in a firefight.

Israel has named its response Operation Iron Swords. Airstrikes levelled tower blocks in Gaza yesterday and residents were braced for a full-scale land invasion.