'Hamas made a grave mistake, we will win the war': Israel

"Hamas has made a grave mistake this morning and launched a war against the State of Israel," Israel, Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said in a statement.

"IDF troops (Israeli army) are fighting against the enemy at every location," he said. "I call on all of Israel's citizens to follow security instructions. The State of Israel will win this war," he said in a video statement on X.

Israel's police chief, Yaakov Shabtai, reported that special police forces are currently operating in 21 locations, and the entire southern region of Israel has been sealed off.

Rockets continued to streak across the sky after the initial launches from various locations in the Palestinian territory, starting at 6:30 am on Saturday.

This escalation comes after months of heightened violence in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, resulting in a level of casualties in the occupied West Bank not seen in years.

Air raid sirens sounded throughout southern and central Israel, prompting the Israeli army to advise the public to remain close to bomb shelters.

The armed wing of the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas claimed responsibility for the aerial assault, asserting that its militants had launched over 5,000 rockets.

Disturbing videos circulating on social media on Saturday showed civilians being targeted by Hamas militants in Israel's southern cities near Gaza, using motorcycles, SUVs, and even paragliders to infiltrate the towns.

Videos on social media, reportedly from Gaza, also showed militants celebrating the death and destruction inflicted on Israel, dragging the bodies of Israeli soldiers into the streets.

The violence escalated a day after Hamas, which controls Gaza, said that the "people had to draw a line to end the occupation" and added that Israel continued to commit crimes across Palestinian land, and especially on the holy site of Al-Aqsa in Jerusalem, said media reports.

In a pre-recorded speech, Hamas militant leader Mohamed Deif, said, "We have decided to put an end to all of this, with the help of God, so that the enemy understands that the time of recklessness without accountability is over. We declare Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, and the first strike has surpassed 5,000 missiles and shells in the first 20 minutes."