Netanyahu says Israel is 'at war' after Hamas launches surprise air and ground attack from Gaza

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that the country was "at war" on Saturday, after Palestinian militants in Gaza fired a deadly barrage of rockets and sent gunmen into Israeli territory in a major escalation of the long running conflict between the two sides.

The Israeli military said about 2,200 rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip into Israel, while armed terror groups infiltrated into Israel by land, sea and air in paragliders. Multiple explosions were heard over Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and in southern Israel - some blasts likely the interceptions of incoming rockets - while air raids sent Israelis pouring into underground shelters.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Hamas had taken "hostages and prisoners of war" but did not give a figure. At least 200 Israelis had been killed and 1,452 have been wounded, according to Israel's emergency rescue service and health ministry.

Israel responded by launching strikes on what it called Hamas targets in Gaza. The Palestine Tower, a high-rise building which hosts residential apartments and media offices in Gaza City, was hit by an explosion and collapsed, video showed.

The Palestinian health ministry said that 232 Palestinians had been killed and 1,697 injured, but did not say where the deaths occurred or whether the toll included Hamas militants or civilians in Gaza.

Netanyahu has said operations are already under way to "clear communities that have been infiltrated by terrorists" and that he had also issued a call-up of reservists.

He also vowed retribution against Hamas, the Palestinian militant movement that runs Gaza, in a televised speech: "What happened today has never been seen in Israel, we will take mighty vengeance for this black day," Netanyahu said.