Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had embarked "on a long and difficult war that was forced on us by a murderous Hamas attack" in a statement on Sunday. The surprise operation launched by land, air and sea by Hamas early Saturday on the holiday of Simchat Torah is being called "unprecedented," the broadest attack in 50 years, prompting Israeli airstrikes on Gaza in return.
The Prime Minister's statement claimed "the destruction of the vast majority of the enemy forces that infiltrated our territory" and said Israeli forces "have begun the offensive phase, which will continue with neither limitations nor respite until the objectives are achieved."
