Happening now, israel formally declares war on hamas and the Palestinian Terrorist groups strikes back. Breaking news. Hamas has just fired a new barrage of rockets at israel tonight. And were learning that there has been a direct strike on the city of ash. We welcome our viewers here in the United States and Around The World. And im wolf blitzer and this is a Special Edition of the situation room. Israel at war. Announcer this is cnn Breaking News. And were following all of the Breaking News, our correspondents are positioned in israel and indeed Around The World to bring you all of the latet developments in this escalating crisis right now. Raising enorm ow fears of a major war in the middle east. Lets begin with Nic Robertson, youre not far away from the border with gaza. What more do we know about the new round of attacks that is underway right now . Reporter weve been able to see a couple of things from this location, wolf. Were seeing rockets taking off that are not intercepted q
Speak at 2 30 this afternoon. Just about 30 minutes from now. His first comments that the hamas Surprise Attack on israel and israels response. We will have a live report from the white house in just a moment. We will bring you the president s remarks when they happen. First, the latest. At least 70 people are dead, hundreds more are wounded in israel after hamas forces launched an unprecedented attack by air, land, and see. President biden set to deliver remarks on the situation, which will bring to you live. Prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, saying the country isnt a state of war. The Israeli Military saying an unknown number of soldiers and civilians have been taking hostage. Meanwhile, Gazas Health Ministry reports 198 people are dead and more than 1600 injured after israeli airstrikes in the region in retaliation. This comes 50 years and one day after the start of the october war, also known as the yom kippur war, who killed thousands on each side after egypt and syria launched
Israel is at war in a way they have never seen before with unprecedented fighting in their own territory. And some of their soldiers reported will captured by hamas fighters. Now this started before sunrise this morning as the Militant Group hamas launched its multifront attack. Hamas gunmen now infiltrated israeli towns. One video shows palestinian Moil Tants Opening Fire on people just driving by. Residents are barricaded inside their homes. Local News Programs are reporting that fighters are now attempting to break into peoples homes. The latest official number is 22 people killed, hundreds more have been injured. The barrage, as we said, is still on going. Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the nation and hamas fighters just a few hours ago. Translator citizens of israel, we are at war, not an operation or in rounds, but at war. I have ordered an extensive reserves that we return fire of a magnitude that the enemy has not known. The enemy will pay an unprecedented price. W
Throughout the entire day, with much of this beginning in the morning, and American Smith waking up to a drastically different world now. The president , speaking last hour, saying that the u. S. Has israels back, saying that there were just incredibly appalling images, raining down on israeli cities in, and confirming that entire families have been taking hostage, by hamas. I believe we now have former white house spokesperson jen psaki, and host of msnbcs inside with jen psaki. Im going to play a little bit of the president s remarks, and then we will talk on The Other Side, jen. In this moment of tragedy, i want to say to them, and to the world, and to terrorists everywhere, that the United States stands with israel. We will not ever fail to have their back. We will make sure that they have the help that their citizens need, and they can continue to defend themselves. Jen, before we go into really the scope of the attack, and your reaction to that, what is your reaction to the presi
Soil. At least 40 people, israelis, are dead, and more than 770 are wounded, were told, the official numbers coming in from the government of israel. The attack catching israel clearly by surprise. At sun rise earlier today the palestinian mill tachbt Group Launched that iroffensive by air, sea and land. Hamas fighters have now infiltrated various israeli towns were told and thousands of rockets have rained down from the sky above over civilian Populated Areas of israel. Israel is clearly already striking back, sending its own rockets into gaza. And we just have gotten new numbers from palestinian officials there. They say at least 198 palestinians already have been killed in gaza, and more than 1600 people in gaza are injured. This once again, according to the Palestinian Health ministry there. This is quickly developing, this situation, we want to go back to cnn in jerusalem for us. Update our viewers on the very latest. Reporter well, the very latest is weve just gone in from the Is