Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared a state of war after Palestinian militant organization Hamas launched thousands of rockets in a surprise attack on Saturday.
"The Israel Defense Forces will defend Israeli civilians and the Hamas terrorist organization will pay heavy price for its actions," Israel Defense Forces said in a statement, per Insider.
Hamas' military commander Mohammad Deif called on Palestinians in Israel and those in neighboring Arab countries to join the attack, which he called "Operation Al-Aqsa Storm," in a rare statement, per the Washington Post.
Palestinian militants infiltrated Israeli territory by land, sea, and some even used motorized paragliders as the attacks continued.
Images show the scale of the attacks, including captured Israeli military vehicles, buildings aflame, and Israelis fleeing areas targeted by Hamas.
Latest reports from Israeli media say 40 Israelis have been killed so far, with a further 740 people wounded by the Hamas bombings and raids.
Israel's foreign ministry claimed that Hamas fighters were wantonly murdering civilians, per Sky News.
Here are 11 dramatic images as the conflict unfolds.