Israeli soldiers fought to repel Hamas militants Sunday, a day after they broke out of the blockaded Gaza Strip and rampaged through nearby Israeli communities in an unprecedented surprise attack, while Israel's retaliation strikes leveled buildings in Gaza and its prime minister said the country was at war. Also Sunday, Hezbollah struck Israeli positions in a disputed area along the border with Syria’s Golan Heights, and Israel’s military responded with armed drone strikes on Hezbollah targets in a disputed area where the borders of Israel, Lebanon and Syria meet, raising the prospect of a broader conflict.
Israel declared war Sunday as it bombarded the Gaza strip with airstrikes in retaliation for a major surprise attack by Hamas. The declaration came a day after an unprecedented incursion by Hamas fighters who blew through a fortified border fence and gunned down civilians and soldiers in Israeli communities along the Gaza frontier during a major Jewish holiday. As many as 1,000 Hamas fighters took part, U.S. Secretary of State Andrew Blinken said.