Israel is "at war," according to Netanyahu, after rocket fire from an operation claimed by Hamas hits southern Israel.

On Saturday, while rocket fire from the Gaza Strip pounded the area, militants invaded parts of southern Israel. Hamas, an Islamist organization, claimed credit for the attack.

Mohammad Deif, a top military commander for Hamas, made the announcement of the start of the operation and urged Palestinians all over the world to attack Israelis.

In a broadcast on Hamas media, he declared that "this is the day of the greatest battle to end the last occupation on earth," claiming that 5,000 rockets had been fired.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared in a video message that was sent out early on Saturday: "Citizens of Israel, we are at war — not in an operation, not in rounds, but at war."

When attempting to retake the separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh, Israel quietly arms Azerbaijan.

The operation claimed the life of an Israeli woman, according to emergency officials. In the vicinity of the Gaza Strip, ambulance workers reacted, and sirens rang throughout Israel. There are 140 wounded people being treated at Soroka Medical Center in Beer Sheva, the largest city in southern Israel, with 20 of them in critical and dangerous condition. These injured victims include some civilians. 94 injured patients in varying states are being treated in another hospital in Ashkelon.

Israeli media reported that shooters opened fire on bystanders in the southern Israeli town of Sderot, and video of the conflict appeared to show assaults in the streets.

The Israeli military issued a statement saying that "a number of terrorists have infiltrated into Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip."

There are people living in the vicinity of the Gaza Strip.

"The Israeli Defence Forces will defend Israeli civilians and the Hamas terrorist organization will pay heavy price for its actions," according to the military.

The operation would be discussed at a meeting with senior security officials, according to Netanyahu's office.

Residents in Gaza reported armed fighting near the southern town of Khan Younis along the border fence with Israel as they heard the sound of rocket launches. The locals claimed to have observed a lot of armed combatants moving around.

Stephanie L. Hallett, the American Charge d'Affaires friendly at the American Embassy in Jerusalem, wrote on X that she was "sickened by the images coming out of southern Israel of dead and wounded civilians at the hands of terrorists from Gaza." Israel has the support of the United States.

European governments have strongly defended Israel while denouncing the Hamas attack.

On X, formerly known as Twitter, Ursula von der Leyen, the head of the European Union's executive commission, stated on Saturday that the act "is terrorism in its most despicable form." She stated that "Israel has the right to defend itself against such heinous attacks."

The terrorist rocket firing and increasing violence, according to German Chancellor Olaf Sholz, "shock us deeply." He went on to say that "Germany condemns these attacks by Hamas and stands beside Israel."

The "terrorist attacks" against Israel were "firmly" condemned by French President Emmanuel Macron in a statement, and he also expressed "my full solidarity with the victims, their families, and their loved ones."

The attacks, according to British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, "shocked" him. He wrote on X, "Israel has a complete right to defend itself.

Numerous targets in the Gaza Strip that were controlled by the terrorist group Hamas were struck by dozens of IDF fighter jets.

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According to assessments by Israel's defense establishment, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has declared a "special security situation" in the homefront of Israel, within a range of 0-80 kilometers from the Gaza Strip, allowing the IDF to issue safety instructions to civilians and close relevant sites.

The violence that began on Saturday is expected to extend several days, as there have been clashes between Israel and Gaza in the past.