Netanyahu vows war as attacks kill hundreds

China weighed in on the war Sunday by calling for an immediate end to hostilities and a resumption of peace talks.

"The fundamental way out of the conflict lies in implementing the two-state solution and establishing an independent State of Palestine," a Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson said in a Q&A published Sunday morning.

The spokesperson defined the war as one between "Palestine and Israel," despite the leading role that militant group Hamas played in carrying out Saturday's attacks.

"We call on relevant parties to remain calm, exercise restraint and immediately end the hostilities to protect civilians and avoid further deterioration of the situation," the Ministry of Foreign affairs spokesperson said.

Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group fired dozens of rockets and shells on Sunday at three Israeli positions in a disputed area along the country’s border with Syria’s Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

Hezbollah, a militant group allied with Hamas in Lebanon, said in a statement that the attack using “large numbers of rockets and shells” was in solidarity with the “Palestinian resistance.” It said the Israeli positions were directly hit.

Israel’s military fired back at the Lebanese areas, but there was no immediate word on casualties.

The Israeli army said it shelled the areas where the fire came from on the Lebanese side of the border.

Chebaa Farms was captured by Israel from Syria during the 1967 Mideast war, but Lebanon considers it and the nearby Kfar Chouba hills as Lebanese territories.

The Golan Heights were annexed by Israel in 1981.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza says 256 people have died since the first attacks early yesterday morning.

Among the dead are 20 children, the ministry said. All the dead were described as "victims of the Israeli aggression."

The hostilities began when militant organization Hamas launched a surprise attack against Israel after the end of a weeklong religious celebration known as Sukkot.

The ministry said 1,788 people were injured, including 121 children.

A man walks atop the rubble of a tower destroyed in an Israeli air strike in Gaza City on Saturday.

Fire and smoke rises above buildings during an Israeli air strike in Gaza City on on Sunday.

A Cambodian student has died in the violence in Israel, the Cambodian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Sunday. The Southeast Asian country has some 450 students in Israel, the statement added.

Two workers from Thailand were also believed to have been kidnapped in Israel, according to a statement from Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The information came from the Thai Embassy in Tel Aviv. Israel has not been able to verify the claim.

“The Royal Thai Government is taking this matter very seriously,” the statement said. “Prime Minister [Srettha Thavisin] has issued an order for the Royal Thai Air Force to be on standby for the immediate evacuation of Thai nationals from Israel by air, as needed.”

Before daybreak on Sunday, militants fired more rockets from Gaza, hitting a hospital in the Israeli coastal town of Ashkelon. The hospital sustained damage, said senior hospital official Tal Bergman.

Video provided by Barzilai Medical Center showed a large hole punched into a wall and chunks of debris scattered on the ground of what appeared to be an empty room and a hallway. There was no report of casualties.

Israeli airstrikes in Gaza had intensified after nightfall, flattening residential buildings in giant explosions, including a 14-story tower that held dozens of apartments as well as Hamas offices in central Gaza City. Israeli forces fired a warning just before.

Around 3 a.m., a loudspeaker atop a mosque in Gaza City blared a stark warning to residents of nearby apartment buildings: Evacuate immediately. Just minutes later, an Israeli airstrike reduced one nearby five-story building to ashes.

After one Israeli strike, a Hamas rocket barrage hit four cities, including Tel Aviv and a nearby suburb. Throughout the day, Hamas fired more than 3,500 rockets, the Israeli military said.

The surprise attack by Hamas militants on Israel suggests a massive intelligence failure as the Israeli government appeared blindsided by the infiltration of Hamas fighters across the southern border and the launch of thousands of rockets.

The Hamas assault by air, land and sea also raised questions as to why U.S. intelligence agencies apparently did not see it coming, experts and former intelligence officials said. 

U.S. officials said that if the Israelis knew an attack was imminent, they did not share it with Washington.

“We were not tracking this,” one senior U.S. military official told NBC News. 

Read the full story here.

WASHINGTON — Presidential races don’t normally hinge on crises in distant nations, but the armed conflict that broke out in Israel threatens to undercut Joe Biden’s argument that his foreign policy expertise is making the world more secure.

The attacks launched by Hamas fighters expose deficiencies in Israeli intelligence, experts said, while raising fresh questions about what the U.S. is getting in return for the time spent building surveillance capabilities and partnerships in the volatile Middle East.

“This is an enormous intelligence failure by the Israelis and the Americans,” said Bruce Riedel, a former CIA officer and Middle East specialist. “I don’t see any reason to believe that either Washington or Jerusalem had any expectation this was coming.”

Read the full story here.

Pilots from the United States should exercise "extreme caution" when flying over Israeli airspace amid hostilities between Hamas militants and Israel forces that erupted today, the Federal Aviation Administration said.

No specific threats were outlined, but the FAA said in a Notice to Air Missions, or NOTAM, that the situation was "potentially hazardous."

The administration recommended maintaining uninterrupted contact with air traffic control while in the Tel-Aviv flight information region.

NOTAM should be monitored for possible airspace closure announcements, too, the administration said.

Israel's government will halt the supply of electricity, fuel and goods to Gaza, according to a statement tonight from the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Netanyahu said that the "first stage" of Israel's counteroffensive against Hamas had ended, claiming that Israeli military forces had fought off the "vast majority" of Hamas militants behind the early morning incursion.

He pledged to continue counterattacks without "limitations nor respite."

"We are embarking on a long and difficult war that was forced on us by a murderous Hamas attack," he said.

Hamas’ unprecedented attack on Israel comes at a time when the country faces historic domestic political division, rising attacks by Israeli settlers on Palestinians, and high-stakes negotiations between Israel, Saudi Arabia and the United States.

After its members killed 200 Israelis and kidnapped dozens more, Hamas said it was taking revenge for a series of recent actions by Israel at Jerusalem’s Al Asqa mosque and in the West Bank. But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition government has been conducting an escalating crackdown against what it says are rising Palestinian terror attacks for more than a year.

Former U.S. intelligence and military officers said they believed the timing of the Hamas attack was primarily aimed at disrupting negotiations between Israel and Saudi Arabia as Riyadh appeared on the verge of a historic step to normalize relations with Israel. 

Iran is seeking “to put pressure on their implacable foe Israel” with this attack, said retired Navy admiral James Stavridis, the former commander of NATO.

Read the full story here.

As one of the largest invasions in 50 years unfolded on the streets, sea and skies over Israel, misinformation about the assault proliferated on social media.

In one instance, a widely circulated video of an Israeli airstrike was said to show a retaliation to Saturday’s surprise attack by Palestinian group Hamas, which has left hundreds dead.

“BREAKING: Israeli Air Force is striking terror targets in Gaza,” read the caption of the video, which was shared on Facebook and social media platform X. But the video was from airstrikes that happened in May, Reuters reported.

Many of the misleadingly labeled videos were shared by verified users on X, who are eligible for monetization of their content.

Read the full story here.

The conflict between Hamas and Israel is seen by some as an act of resistance against oppressors, NBC News chief foreign correspondent Richard Engel said.

Within the densely populated and isolated Gaza Strip, the correspondent said, the occupied territory is viewed as an open-air prison. Residents are separated from Israel by a militarized border and lack freedom of movement.

People inside Gaza need permission to leave — either from Israel or the Egyptian government — which is difficult to obtain, Engel said.

"If you are born in Gaza and you’ve done nothing except live there your whole life ... your life is to live there as a prisoner inside this territory," Engel said. "The amount of rage and anger that is there is directed at Israel."

Hamas, he said, has presented its attacks as action taken in the name of justice and freedom.

"They frame this as an act even of self-defense, that they are breaking out of their confines in order to show their oppressors — to give them a taste of their own medicine," he said.

In a statement tonight, a spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces said the death toll in the country would be worse if not for the Iron Dome.

The spokesperson, Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus, was referring to a short-range air defense system that is known for reliably intercepting missiles, including rockets fired by Hamas militants.

The Iron Dome was developed by a state-owned defense technology firm in the mid-2000s with financial backing from the U.S. It became fully operational in 2011. The system had a 96% success rate in shooting down incoming rockets during clashes between Israel and Hamas in May, the military said at the time.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with foreign ministers of Egypt and Saudi Arabia about the violence in Israel and the need to end the attacks.

In his conversation with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Blinken called for coordinated efforts to stop the violence, according to State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller.

“The Secretary reiterated Israel’s right to self-defense and called for coordinated efforts to achieve an immediate halt to the violent attacks by Hamas terrorists and other militants,” Miller said.

Momentum has been building recently toward a U.S.-brokered diplomatic agreement between Saudi Arabia and Israel.

Blinken also spoke with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

In his call with Abbas, Blinken condemned Hamas' attacks and "urged the Palestinian Authority to continue and enhance steps to restore calm and stability in the West Bank," Miller said.

A spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces said late today that order has not been restored amid Hamas' surprise attack on Israel and the latter's wartime response.

"The situation in Israel is still not fully under control," Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus said in an address posted to social media, adding that hundreds of Hamas militants remained in Israel. He said troops were going "house to house" to ensure the militants were gone.

More than 200 Hamas militants have been killed, as have more than 200 Israelis. Most Israeli deaths have been from close-contact fighting, Conricus said.

Israeli injuries numbered more than 1,200, he said.

The casualty numbers on both sides may rise overnight, he added.

"The first priority of the IDF is to restore the situation in the south," Conricus said.

The Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigration urged the international community to apply pressure on Israel for a peace deal.

Aa statement posted on X in Arabic and translated by the country's state news agency links the current Hamas-Israel war to "Israel’s continued occupation of the Palestinian territories."

Lebanon's ministry warned that "the failure to find a just, lasting and comprehensive solution based on ending the occupation of Arab lands and resolving the Palestinian issue threatens international peace and security."

Part of a potential solution the ministry has suggested is the establishment of a Palestinian state and the right for Palestinians to return home.

According to the United Nations, there are more than 489,000 registered Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, which is currently suffering an economic crisis.

The United Nations' child advocacy group, UNICEF, called for fighting to cease immediately following Hamas' ambush of Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's acknowledgement of war.

Noting that clashes between the two have claimed the lives of 299 children in the last three years, UNICEF executive director Catherine Russell said children in the region have the right to grow up in peace.

“UNICEF calls for the immediate cessation of hostilities, and for all parties to protect children from harm and afford them the special protection to which they are entitled, in accordance with their obligations under international humanitarian law," Russell said in a statement.

UNICEF began as the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund and now focuses on vaccines, healthy food, disease prevention, safe water and sanitation for children in 190 countries and territories.

"I am deeply concerned for the wellbeing of children in Israel and the State of Palestine," Russell said.

Palestinian activist Nour Odeh, a former Palestinian Authority spokesperson, said Hamas' attack on Israel Saturday "is not the beginning of the story."

"This is one episode of a story that has lasted for over half a century," Odeh told NBC News. "Israel occupied the West Bank, it controls every aspect of life in Gaza. And for more than a year now, experts have been warning that things are reaching a boiling point."

Odeh was referring to the over 50 years of occupation of Palestinian territories by Israeli forces. Violence has spiked in the region over the last year, with at least 700 attacks on Palestinians attacked by Israelis in 2023, a record-breaking number, according to the Institute for Middle East Understanding.

"It’s a record-setting year of the number of Palestinians killed, the number of Palestinian children killed, the number of homes demolished, the number of attacks by armed settlers that, you know, burned down homes and attack people and wounded and killed Palestinian civilians," Odeh said.

Odeh added that today's events are "unprecedented."

"You know, there was nowhere for the story to go except a breaking point with a right-wing Israeli government that doesn’t recognize that Palestinians exist, doesn’t want to talk about Palestinians having freedom and a country of their own and a world that is ready to, kind of, appease that and work with it and just throw money at the Palestinians or condemnations and hope that things will be maintained."

Israel’s ambassador to the U.S., Michael Herzog, said Saturday: “This is war. We will fight to win and deter the terrorists from any future attacks.”

Herzog condemned the Saturday attacks that exploded as Israelis were celebrating the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah. 

“The scenes on the ground are horrific and the number of Israeli casualties is high as Hamas continues to commit war crimes,” he said, pointing to Iran, which has long backed Hamas, as “evidently behind the scenes.”

“Those of our enemies who believe that Israel is weak because of its internal debate have totally miscalculated,” he said. “Those who calculated that by waging war they can undermine the efforts to expand the circle of peace in the Middle East will be proven wrong."

Herzog called for the international community to “unequivocally stand up and condemn this heinous, unprovoked attack on civilians.” 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday promised "mighty vengeance” for Hamas' attack against Israel, as the number of dead on both sides of the conflict reached into the hundreds. 

In a televised address Saturday night, Netanyahu said Israel will unleash its military strength in revenge for "this black day" as rockets continued to explode into the night.

He warned that Hamas was responsible for the well-being of Israeli hostages, calling the bloody attacks unprecedented.

Amber Sella, an American who has been living in Israel for 10 years and has experienced rocket attacks on Israel from Gaza multiple times, said this attack feels different.

"It's pure terror," she said. "It’s the first time where we feel unprepared and we don’t know what’s next."

Sella said the break in the border wall between Israel and Gaza is "shocking."

"We don’t know how many people came through the break in the wall, we don’t know where they’ve gone, we don’t know what’s been contained, what’s not been contained," she said. "This is new. This time no one is outside. It’s a war, you feel it’s different."

Amid a sea of viral footage coming out of the conflict between Israel and Hamas, misleading and recycled videos are circulating on X, formerly known as Twitter, getting hundreds of thousands of views.

The old videos, which are being passed off as from the last day, are largely being posted by verified, conservative social media personalities, many of whom have previously posted about earning ad dollars from X's monetization program.

U.K. political personality Jim Ferguson posted a video of a building collapsing that was originally from 2021, with the text: "Breaking: Counter attacks are underway by Israeli forces as the air force hits back at." The post is still up and has over 170,000 views. Ferguson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Other users posted videos that were originally recorded in May.

Nonprofit group Shurat HaDin posted a video of Gaza being shelled in May, without disclosing that it was an old video. The text accompanying the video read: "Israeli Air Force is striking terror targets in Gaza. Israel has every right to defend its civilians."

The reposted video has over 120,000 views.

Shurat HaDin did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Hareem Shah also posted a video of Gaza being shelled in May without disclosing that the video was old. She wrote, "LATEST: Israeli air force is bombing targets in Gaza, Palestine." The tweet has been viewed 1 million times according to the platform, and now has a community note clarifying that the video is from May.

Shah did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Hamas is blaming its attack on Israel on recent actions by Israel at the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem and in the West Bank. But Israel’s coalition government has been conducting an escalating crackdown against what they say are Palestinian extremists and rising Palestinian terror attacks for more than a year.

That has led to speculation that the timing of the attack by Hamas, which has long been backed by Iran, is an attempt to derail growing momentum toward a potentially historic U.S-brokered diplomatic agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia brokered by the U.S.

In an interview with NBC News' Lester Holt last month, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said, "We are against any bilateral relations between our regional countries and the Zionist regime," a reference to Israel. Raisi added, "We believe that the Zionist regime is intending to normalize this bilateral relations with the regional countries to create security for itself in the region."

Diplomats from the U.S., Israel and Saudi Arabia in recent weeks have told NBC News that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Joe Biden have all expressed support for an agreement that would result in Saudi Arabia recognizing Israel diplomatically. All three sides, though, have complex conditions for such an agreement.

Bin Salman, unlike past Saudi rulers, has signaled that he is willing to recognize Israel, given the vast economic benefits it would provide Saudi Arabia. But the Saudis want the U.S. to help them develop a civilian nuclear program, something opposed by hard-right members of Netanyahu’s coalition and by members of the U.S. Senate, which would have to approve any such deal.

Separately, when they met in New York last month, President Biden told Netanyahu that any agreement would have to include land for the Palestinians so that they could establish a viable state, something Netanyahu’s ongoing settlement extensions in the West Bank would prevent. Last week, a bipartisan group of senators raised the same concerns in a letter to the White House.

Diplomats say that if Saudi Arabia agreed to recognize Israel diplomatically, it would lead other Arab states to do so. A series of such agreements would end decades of hostility between Israel and its neighbors dating back to 1948. Before today's Hamas attack, there were reports that Saudi Arabia had told the White House it would increase its oil production to help cement a deal, something the Biden White House has sought for two years.

Two buildings in Gaza have been hit by fighter jets, according to the Israel Defense Forces.

The IDF said the buildings were used by senior Hamas officials. One of the buildings held Hamas offices, including an intelligence headquarters and weapons production spaces, the IDF said. The other housed offices and general security apparatus.

At least 232 people have been killed in Gaza and another 1,697 injured, according to Gaza's Ministry of Health.

Over 200 Israelis were killed today in the Hamas-Israel conflict, Israel’s Foreign Ministry said in an update at 10 p.m. local time. 

Another 900 were injured in the “extensive” attack, in which thousands of rockets were fired, the Foreign Ministry said.

“We will take every measure necessary to protect our citizens against these barbaric attacks,” it continued. 

The U.S. is discussing enhancing its intelligence sharing with the Israelis to support the Israeli government during the ongoing conflict with Hamas, according to a U.S. official and source familiar with the discussions. 

U.S. officials said that if the Israelis knew this attack was coming, they did not share it with the U.S. The U.S. government was surprised by the attack, according to multiple U.S. officials.

“We were not tracking this,” one senior U.S. military official said.

The officials said very early assessments are that the timing could be related to the Saudi-Israel normalization becoming more possible. They also said the 50-year anniversary of the Yom Kippur War may have been a factor. 

Lawmakers have not been briefed in a classified setting, according to a source familiar. There have been unclassified updates for lawmakers.

One U.S. official said that in the past few months, while Iranian-backed groups have been relatively quiet, Iran has continued to arm and train militias, and that includes continuing to arm Hamas and Hezbollah.

The additional intelligence to Israel could include drones, signals and satellites, but the officials did not say what was most likely or under active consideration.

President Joe Biden called his administration's support of Israel "rock solid and unwavering" during remarks about the conflict that erupted today following Hamas' air and land attacks from Gaza.

"Let there be no mistake: The United States stands with the state of Israel," Biden said at the White House.

He said he expressed his support in a call with Benjamin Netanyahu and has coordinated with U.S. partners across the region, including the Palestinian Authority. His administration has also directed its national security team to work with Israeli counterparts.

"It's also a terrible strategy on a human level. It's hurting innocent people. See the lives has been broken by this families torn apart," Biden said. "It's heartbreaking. Jill and I are praying for those families who have been impacted by this violence."

Biden described Hamas as a "terrorist organization" and denounced the attacks on Israel.

He did not take questions.

The attacks on Israel came as a peace deal between the U.S., Saudi Arabia and Israel was gaining momentum.

Last week, the U.S. National Security Council Coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa Brett McGurk met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman to discuss “the different elements of the mega-deal,” according to Axios. Meanwhile, Israeli opposition leader Benny Gantz visited Washington last week.

A proposal was made at the conclusion of the G-20 Summit last month for an economic corridor linking Europe with the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Israel, India and the UAE.

The attacks, however, have been meant to “absolutely” send a message to any Muslim country that seeks to strike peace with Israel, Hamas spokesman Ibrahim Hamed said Saturday on Al Jazeera. He urged them to absolve themselves of what he called “great shame.”

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, the Lebanese militant organization, said in a press statement that “it sends a message to the Arab and Islamic world, and the international community as a whole, especially those seeking normalization with this enemy, that the Palestinian cause is an everlasting one, alive until victory and liberation.”

As war rages between Israel and Hamas on the ground, the fighting parties are also using online messaging platforms and social media to engage in information warfare. 

Following the initial attacks, Israel’s official social media accounts began posting declarations of war and comparing Hamas to the ISIS extremist group.  

So far Israel has posted and shared 33 posts on X, TikTok and Instagram about the conflict, repeatedly emphasizing “we are at war” and sharing videos made for social media.

In one video posted to Instagram and X, Israel compared Hamas to ISIS, imposing text over a video of an alleged kidnapping saying, “same ideology, different names.” 

Israel and its military have a yearslong history of using their social media channels to spread their desired messaging about the conflict with Palestinians.

Hamas, which rules Gaza, has been categorized as a militant terrorist group in the U.S. and European Union, and many social media companies, even the more loosely moderated X, have banned Hamas-affiliated pages and politicians. 

Now the group is primarily distributing its content through the messaging platform Telegram, where its channel experienced explosive follower growth in the last few hours. 

In the channel, the group has posted a mix of highly produced promotional videos and on-the-ground footage from today’s violence. 

After being posted to Telegram, the videos are inevitably reposted across various social media platforms and accounts.

President Joe Biden spoke with King Abdullah II of Jordan after his call today with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the White House said.

“The President continues to receive regular updates on the situation in Israel from his national security team,” the White House press office said.

The Office of King Abdullah II said the two leaders discussed “the deteriorating conditions between Palestinians and Israelis and ways to stop the dangerous escalation and protect civilians.”

The King called for “intensifying international efforts to stop the escalation in Gaza and its surroundings,” the office said. 

The King further also rallied for a “real political horizon to achieve peace” through a two-state solution that “guarantees the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state” with east Jerusalem as its capital, calling it “the only way to achieve just and comprehensive peace and ensure security.” 

David Friedman, former U.S. ambassador to Israel during the Trump administration, said he has never seen borders breached like this, calling it an "intelligence failure."

"In the 40 or more years that I’ve been following Israel one way or another, I’ve never seen this happen," he said in an interview today. "I’ve never seen the border breached in this manner. Usually, even if one person from Gaza gets close to the border, they’re intercepted and neutralized long before they can do anything."

Friedman said he thinks President Joe Biden’s administration should encourage and "support Israel to do what Israel thinks is necessary to restore deterrence and restore stability to its own country."

The attack has left many people angry over what happened and "feeling very fragile."

"What’s really troubling about this is that there are so many civilian casualties and the pictures of Israelis being shoved into Jeeps and taken into Gaza," Friedman said. "This has never happened before. There’s such a sense of vulnerability."

Obama-era deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes said on MSNBC that the scale of today's attack suggests it would have taken months for Hamas to plan and acquire more advanced weaponry. He said that, in the past, the militant group has relied primarily on rockets fired in Israel or more discreet attacks.

"I think what is surprising is the scale and complexity of this attack," said Rhodes on MSNBC. "We’ve not seen Hamas undertake something of this ambition, where they’re acting with so many different tactics and in so many different ways."

Rhodes said that although the buildup of violence between Israelis and Palestinians had already created a "tinder box," the current situation will launch Israel and Palestine into a new political reality.

"It's going to completely remake the circumstance politically in terms of the Palestinian leadership - it's obviously entering into a volatile moment in Israeli politics," said Rhodes. This can get much more complicated so we are definitely in a new reality today."

President Joe Biden will offer remarks on "the terrorist attacks in Israel" at 2:30 p.m. ET, the White House said.

Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, said it fired another strike with 150 missiles toward Tel Aviv.

The strike was in response to the bombing of a residential tower in the center of Gaza City around 8 p.m. (1 p.m. ET), Al-Qassam Brigades said.

Flights operated by American, United and Delta Airlines out of major U.S. cities like Chicago, New York and San Francisco bound for Tel Aviv have been canceled amid the ongoing conflict, FlightAware data shows.

About 15% of flights destined to Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv have been canceled and 21% were delayed Saturday, according to FlightAware.

Delta and American Airlines said they have canceled scheduled flights into and out of Tel Aviv through the weekend. 

A Delta spokesperson said the airline is working to “safely transport Delta people back to the U.S. and will work with the U.S. government as needed to assist with the repatriation of U.S. citizens who want to return home.”

Last night, Tel Aviv-bound United Airlines Flight 954 departed from San Francisco International Airport and diverted over Greenland to head back to its origin airport after about seven hours in the air, FlightAware data shows. 

United said it’s “closely minoring the situation” and “adjusting flight schedules as required.” Aside from two departures from Tel Aviv scheduled for Saturday, future operations will be suspended, the airline said.

Israel's arch-enemy Iran celebrated Hamas's attack on Saturday, saying it demonstrated that "Palestinian resistance" was able to carry out "hybrid and multilateral operations."

The operation proved that Israel was vulnerable in the face to serious attack, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani said.

Iran does not recognize Israel's right to exist, often referring to it as the "Zionist entity," and has supported Hamas, along with other militant groups in the region.

The International Rescue Committee mourned the loss of life in Israel and Gaza today and said it's assessing civilian needs on the ground, according to a statement.

“We are dismayed by the dramatic escalation of violence and mourn the extensive loss of civilian life in Israel and Gaza today," the statement read. "We are focused on the humanitarian needs of civilians in the coming days. We are assessing needs on the ground and IRC’s capacity to ensure critical, life-saving humanitarian relief reaches affected civilian populations."

The organization also called on the parties involved "to uphold their obligations under International Humanitarian Law and ensure humanitarian access to those affected.”

Ukranian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who remains at war with Russia, offered assistance to Israel and denounced Hamas' actions.

"Terror should have no place in the world, because it is always a crime, not just against a specific country or this terror’s victims, but against humanity in general and our entire world," Zelenskyy wrote in a Facebook post Saturday.

The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the embassy in Israel have created an operational headquarters to assist Ukrainian citizens. Zelenskyy asked Ukrainians abroad to reach out to access consular services.

"All Ukrainian citizens who remain in the risk zone must carefully obey all orders issued by local security services and remain vigilant," he wrote. "Please be cautious."

Republican 2024 presidential candidates blamed the Biden administration for the attacks Hamas terrorists launched against Israel on Saturday, pointing to the deadly developments as evidence of U.S. weakness on the world stage and claiming that the administration is partially responsible.

Several of them insisted, without evidence, that the U.S. funded these attacks by suggesting that $6 billion in oil revenue that the Biden administration recently unfroze as a result of a prisoner exchange with Iran, which has historically funded Hamas, was used to carry them out.

“These Hamas attacks are a disgrace and Israel has every right to defend itself with overwhelming force," former President Donald Trump said in a statement. "Sadly, American taxpayer dollars helped fund these attacks, which many reports are saying came from the Biden Administration."

The Biden administration rebutted the GOP criticism, saying that the $6 billion in oil revenue Iran recently regained access to did not come from U.S. taxpayer dollars.

“The ground truth is — not a dollar of the $6 billion has been spent yet so that line of attack is just bad faith and wrong,” a senior administration official said.

Read the full story here.

The High Representative on behalf of the European Union condemned “the multiple and indiscriminate attacks across Israel by Hamas” and called for an end of the violence. 

Issued on behalf of the political union of 27 European countries including France, Germany and Sweden, the representative said in a statement that it “deeply deplores the loss of lives.”

The representative said such ongoing attacks “will only further increase tensions on the ground and seriously undermine Palestinian people’s aspirations for peace.”

“The EU stands in solidarity with Israel which has the right to defend itself in line with international law, in the face of such violent and indiscriminate attacks,” the representative said. 

The United Nations Security Council is due to meet on Sunday.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the attack by Hamas and urged “all diplomatic efforts to avoid a wider conflagration, U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.

“The Secretary-General is deeply concerned for the civilian population and urges maximum restraint."

“Civilians must be respected and protected in accordance with international humanitarian law at all times,” Dujarric added.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken is currently at the White House calling foreign counterparts to discuss the situation in Israel and Gaza, according to State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller.

Blinken previously said in a post on the social platform X that the U.S. condemns the attacks on Israel.

In a similar statement released by the State Department, Blinken also said, “We will remain in close contact with our Israeli partners. The United States supports Israel’s right to defend itself.”

Israeli Defense Forces troops are fighting in 22 locations across the southern end of the country, a spokesperson for the military said in a statement.

"There is no community in Southern Israel where we do not have forces, in all the towns," the spokesperson said. "There are communities that have been rid of terrorists, but we want to finish additional scans of the area before declaring so."

The spokesperson confirmed there are hostage situations and "live fire fights" in the town of Ofakim and the Be’eri kibbutz, adding that "there are special forces there with senior commanders."

Hamas militants have taken Israeli hostages and captives, a spokesperson for the Israeli Defense Forces has confirmed, adding that an unknown number of Israeli soldiers have been killed.

"We don't have an exact number yet — we are at war," the spokesperson said.

CIA Director William Burns was scheduled to deliver a speech later Saturday at a national security conference in the state of Georgia, but has canceled due to the crisis in Israel, agency spokesperson Tammy Thorp said.

“Director Burns remained in Washington to help provide support to the President and national security discussions as the crisis in Israel unfolds," Thorp said.

"He deeply regrets having to cancel participation in the Cipher Brief conference and looks forward to an opportunity to attend a future event."

President Biden said in a statement that he spoke to Netanyahu on Saturday morning "about the horrific and ongoing attacks in Israel."

"The United States unequivocally condemns this appalling assault against Israel by Hamas terrorists from Gaza, and I made clear to Prime Minister Netanyahu that we stand ready to offer all appropriate means of support to the Government and people of Israel," Biden said.

Biden said that, "Israel has a right to defend itself and its people," and warned that any other party hostile to Israel shouldn't take advantage of the situation.

"My Administration’s support for Israel’s security is rock solid and unwavering," Biden said. "My team and I are tracking this situation closely, and I will remain in close touch with Prime Minister Netanyahu."

The death toll in Israel has risen to 70 people, according to a spokesperson for Magen David Adom, the country's emergency and rescue service.

Hundreds of people are "seriously injured," according to the spokesperson, who did not provide an exact number.

The Lebanese militant group Hezbollah said in a statement it was in “direct contact with the leadership of the Palestinian resistance” following calls from Hamas for militants across the region to take up arms against Israel.

The Iran-backed group, an arch nemesis of Israel, described the events as a “decisive response to Israel’s continued occupation and a message to those seeking normalisation with Israel,” though it has not yet joined any fighting.

Naval forces conducted a pursuit earlier Saturday morning, foiling an attempt to infiltrate Israeli territory by sea, Israel Defense Forces said.

Soldiers opened fire on the group, thwarting dozens of terrorists in the southern maritime area and along the coast, the IDF said.

U.S. embassy personnel in Israel are "currently sheltering in place," the embassy, whose headquarters are in Jerusalem, said in a security alert issued Saturday morning.

"U.S. government personnel continue to be prohibited from travel to Gaza and areas within seven (7) miles of Gaza," the alert said.

The embassy said it's closely monitoring the security situation and is "aware that there have been casualties as a result of these incidents."

"U.S. citizens are reminded to remain vigilant and take appropriate steps to increase their security awareness as security incidents, including mortar and rocket fire, often take place without warning," the alert said.

President Biden has called Netanyahu, according to the Israeli prime minister's office.

"US President Joe Biden called Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and emphasized that the US stands alongside Israel and fully supports Israel’s right to self-defense," Netanyahu's office said in a post on the social platform X.

The office added in a follow-up post, "Prime Minister Netanyahu thanked US President Biden for the unreserved support and made it clear that a forceful, prolonged campaign — which Israel will win — is necessary."

Saleh al-Arouri, the Deputy Head of the Political Bureau of Hamas, said the militant group has a large number of prisoners, including senior officers, and are preparing for all options "including all-out war."

"This is not an operation, but rather an open battle with one goal: the freedom of our people and the liberation of their sanctities. We are not fighting for demands here or there, but rather it is the right of our people to live freely and be liberated from occupation," al-Arouri said in an interview with Al Jazeera.

Al-Arouri said Hamas is ready to do whatever is necessary for the "dignity and freedom of our people" and will "pay what is necessary for victory."

"We are prepared for all options, including all-out war and escalation at the highest levels," al-Arouri said, adding, "We have enough patience, courage, and tools to continue in an open battle until we are victorious and achieve our goals."

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a post on the social platform X that the U.S. condemns the attacks on Israel.

"We unequivocally condemn the appalling attacks by Hamas terrorists against Israel. We stand in solidarity with the government and people of Israel and extend our condolences for the Israeli lives lost in these attacks," Blinken said.

In a similar statement released by the State Department, Blinken also said, "We will remain in close contact with our Israeli partners. The United States supports Israel’s right to defend itself."

Top Democrats and Democrats serving on the House and Senate Intelligence Committees are receiving regular updates about the attacks by Hamas on Israel, two sources with knowledge told NBC News.

The updates have so far been unclassified information.

One source expects that lawmakers with certain security clearance will receive classified briefings at some point.

The International Committee of the Red Cross has called for an “immediate protection of civilians” as a result of the “alarming escalation armed violence” in Israel and the occupied territories.

In a statement on the organization’s website, Middle East regional director Fabrizio Carboni warned that “carrying out, or threatening to carry out, an act of hostage-taking is prohibited under international humanitarian law” adding that detainees, including combatants “must be treated humanely and with dignity.”

“Violence directed against civilians is appalling and cannot be justified,” he said, adding that civilians “on both sides” would “suffer immensely” if violence continued to escalate.

The Oct. 7 attacks on Israel by Hamas terrorists come around the 50th anniversary of the start of the Arab-Israeli War, known also as the Yom Kippur War.

The war began on Oct. 6, 1973, when Egypt and Syria launched surprise attacks on Israeli forces in the Sinai Peninsula and the Golan Heights on the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur.

More than 2,600 Israeli soldiers died during the conflict that lasted several weeks, until Oct. 25, 1973.

Egypt, a country that sometimes plays the role of mediator between the Israeli government and Palestinians, has urged both sides to consider the "serious risks" of escalating their conflict.

"Egypt has called on the practice of maximum self-restraint, avoiding exposing civilians to further risk, warning of dangerous consequences as a result of escalating violence, which would negatively impact the future of calming efforts," the country's foreign ministry said in a statement.

Egypt and Israel were once locked in bitter conflict that culminated in the 1973 Arab–Israeli War 50 years ago this month. The two countries signed a peace treaty in 1979 following the Camp David Accords, which were mediated by then-President Jimmy Carter.

198 Palestinians have been killed as a result of Israeli shelling and gunfire along the Gaza strip, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

1,610 people have been injured in Gaza, they added.

Palestinian news agency WAFA previously reported that several Palestinians were also injured, some seriously, as a result of gunfire during confrontations with Israeli military forces in Palestinian-majority neighborhoods in Jerusalem. Tear gas was also fired, according to the agency. NBC News has been unable to independently verify this report.

World Jewish Congress President Ronald S Lauder said he "vehemently" denounces Hamas's "heinous terrorist onslaught" against Israel.

"Now, more than ever, it is imperative for us to stand as one — unified and resolute — to bolster the success of the IDF and the State of Israel during this conflict unjustly thrust upon us on Simchat Torah," Lauder said in a statement Saturday.

"Let it be known, unequivocally, that the entire Jewish diaspora stands in unwavering support of Israel and its valiant security forces during these challenging times," he continued. "In unity lies our indomitable strength."

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement Saturday morning that he's closely following the developments in Israel.

"Our commitment to Israel’s right to defend itself remains unwavering, and I extend my condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in this abhorrent attack on civilians," Austin said.

He added, "Over the coming days the Department of Defense will work to ensure that Israel has what it needs to defend itself and protect civilians from indiscriminate violence and terrorism."

Austin convened a call early Saturday morning with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. C.Q. Brown, CENTCOM Commander Gen. Michael E. Kurilla and other senior Pentagon leaders to discuss the situation, a senior defense official said.

Austin will continue to receive updates throughout the day, the official said.

Palestinian men transport the body of a Hamas militant by horse and cart in the Gaza Strip after he was killed in clashes on the border with Israel on Saturday.

President Biden was fully briefed about the unfolding events in Israel earlier Saturday morning, a White House official told NBC News.

The White House will provide a full readout of any calls the president makes in response to the attacks, a separate senior official said.

Another official indicated the White House and National Security Council were surprised by the attack. 

At least 40 people have died as a result of militant attacks and rocket fire, Israel's emergency medical service Magen David Adom has confirmed.

In a statement, a spokesperson said that the service had also treated "hundreds" of people for injuries, from minor to serious.

Helicopters, mobile ICUs and bulletproof ambulances had been mobilized for treatment, they said, and were evacuating patients to hospitals across Israel.

The Palestinian Health Ministry has not confirmed any death toll for Gaza so far.

The deadly action between Israel and Hamas comes as there is no American ambassador in Tel Aviv.

Tom Nides announced his resignation as ambassador to Israel in May. The Biden administration announced last month that Jack Lew, former White House Chief of Staff and Treasury Secretary, would be nominated to the post but he has not been confirmed by the Senate.

Biden is expected to address the conflict Saturday — either directly or in a statement, a senior administration official said, adding that Israel has not requested any military aid.

Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry called for an “immediate halt to the escalation between the two sides, the protection of civilians and restraint” in a statement posted to X, which did not mention Hamas.

The ministry added that it had issued “repeated warnings” over the likelihood of escalating violence as a result of “the continued occupation, the deprivation of the Palestinian people of their legitimate rights, and the repetition of the systematic provocations against its sanctities.”

Saudi Arabia has traditionally been a staunch supporter of Palestinian statehood, and has historically provided funding for Hamas. More recently, the state has pursued U.S.-brokered normalization with Israel, which it does not formally recognize.

Hamas militants say they have taken Israeli soldiers hostage and moved them to the Gaza Strip.

The al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, shared video on Telegram, saying it had a number of soldiers in its “grip.”

NBC News was not immediately able to independently verify that claim, or obtain details. The Israeli military was not immediately available for comment.

Video showed what appeared to be armed militants with rifles driving a pickup carrying several bloodied and bound-up men lying in the back.

The early morning assault on southern Israel is not just “unprecedented,” NBC News’ Andrea Mitchell said in an analysis on the “TODAY” show.

“Nothing on this scale has ever been contemplated,” said Mitchell, NBC News’ chief Washington correspondent. "This is not something the Israeli government was prepared for.”

Mitchell said she found it especially “remarkable” that Palestinian militants waged a complex assault by land, air and sea.

The chaos now unfolding in Israel represents "a crisis for the U.S. as well as Israel," Mitchell said.

President Joe Biden and Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently met at the United Nations in New York, where they discussed a "broader peace in the region," Mitchell said. But the latest developments likely mean "that now is completely off the table."

An Israeli soldier stands by the bodies of Israelis killed by Palestinian militants who entered from the Gaza Strip, in the southern Israeli city of Sderot.

Palestinian militants ride in an Israeli vehicle after it was seized along the border in the northern Gaza Strip on Saturday morning.

Israel’s security ministry has declared a state of civil emergency, granting police heightened arrest and search powers, in order to “prevent riots in hundreds of hotspots throughout the country," the ministry said in a statement.

Israel’s security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai also called on volunteers to join police forces around the country, and for the arming of all police forces, according to the statement.

The ministry also declared a state of emergency in Israel’s prisons, with an emphasis on the nation’s “security prisoners” — majority-Palestinian inmates incarcerated under stricter living conditions and enhanced supervision and deemed threats to national security.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas chaired an emergency meeting with various security and civilian officials today, Palestinian public news agency, Wafa reported.

Abbas stressed Palestinians right to defend themselves, "directing that everything necessary be provided in order to strengthen the steadfastness," the agency said.

The White House is "aware and engaged" on the situation, an official said.

They said an official statement was expected to be forthcoming.

Smokes rise as Palestinian groups clash with Israeli forces at the border in Gaza City on Saturday.

With at least 22 people killed, this appears to be the deadliest attack in Israel in years.

Meanwhile, Palestinian media reported that at least six people died in the Gaza Strip.

Reporting from The Associated Press suggested the death toll could be higher, with the news agency saying reporters witnessed the funerals of 15 people who were killed and saw another eight bodies arrive at a local hospital. The agency said it was not immediately clear if they were fighters or civilians. NBC News was not immediately able to independently verify that reporting.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Saturday that Palestinians have the right to defend themselves against the “terror of settlers and occupation troops,” the official news agency WAFA quoted him as saying.

He spoke at an emergency meeting held in Ramallah with a number of top officials from the Palestinian National Authority.

While the Palestinian Authority claims control of the Gaza Strip, Hamas is actually in control. The two are at odds and have clashed violently in the past.

The European Union “unequivocally” condemned Hamas' attacks and expressed solidarity on Israel on Saturday.

“This horrific violence must stop immediately. Terrorism and violence solve nothing,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on X.

Britain, France, Ukraine, Italy, Germany and Spain also expressed their support for Israel.

Russia “is now in good contact with everyone” and “called for restraint” from all sides, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov said.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan urged Israel and Palestinians “to act reasonably” and avoid a further escalation.

At least 545 people have been injured in Israel from the Hamas attack, the country's health ministry said Saturday.

The Israel Defense Forces, or IDF, said around 2,200 rockets had been launched from the Gaza Strip.

"In parallel, a number of terrorists infiltrated into Israeli territory in southern Israel," IDF spokesperson Admiral Daniel Hagari said.

"Dozens of IDF fighter jets struck a number of targets belonging to the Hamas terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip," the spokesperson said.

Israel's emergency services said at least 22 people have been killed in Saturday's surprise attack by Palestinian militants.

A man runs for shelter in the border city of Ashkelon after rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip.

Six Palestinians have been killed as a result of Israeli shelling of the Gaza Strip, Palestinian news agency WAFA reported.

Five were killed in shelling to northern and central regions of the embattled coastal enclave, the agency said.

Palestinian journalist Mohammad Salhi was also killed by an Israeli army bullet while reporting events at the central-eastern section of the strip's border with Israel, WAFA added.

NBC News has been unable to independently verify these reports.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel was "in a war" after an unprecedented attack from the Gaza Strip on Saturday.

"I instructed first of all to cleanse the settlements of the terrorists who infiltrated," he said in a recorded video address, adding he had ordered an "extensive reserve mobilization."

Israel will "fight back with a strength and scope that the enemy did not know," he said. "The enemy will pay a price it has never known before."

"We are in a war, not an operation, in a war" he said, calling on Israeli citizens to strictly obey instructions of its forces.

Israeli police evacuate a family in Ashkelon after it was hit by rockets fired from the Gaza Strip on Saturday morning.

Four people have been killed in a southern Israeli town of Kuseife, Abd al-Aziz, the mayor told the country’s Kan public broadcaster. Several more were wounded, he said.

Israel's medical and rescue agency said it has attended to a total of 16 victims in Southern regions, including a woman in her 60s who was killed in a direct hit with another 15 injured.

It was unclear if the woman was included in the toll announced by Kuseife mayor.

"When an alarm sounds, it is crucial to carefully and promptly make your way to a protected area and wait there for a minimum of 10 minutes," a spokesperson for the agency, Magen David Adom, said.

Smoke trails were seen through early morning light in Gaza City, as civilians took to their balconies to film rockets being fired towards Israel.

ASHKELON, Israel — Bracha Yarkoni turned 75 today but instead of celebrations, she was woken up with explosions and the cries of her grandchildren.

She stood in a street in Ashkelon, a coastal city in Southern Israel, staring in disbelief at a home that took a direct hit from the rocket.

“I’ve never seen it like this,” she told NBC News. “Where are the soldiers? Where are the police? God help us.”

Israel's Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said the military was calling up reservists to boost the fight against Hamas following the attack from the Gaza Strip.

He also announced a "special security situation" in a 50-mile radius from Gaza, enabling Israel Defense Forces, or IDF, to "provide civilians with safety instructions and close relevant sites."

“The State of Israel will win this war,” he said in a separate statement.

Israeli forces take cover on the side of a street in the city of Ashkelon as sirens wail and rockets blast on Saturday morning.

Israeli opposition leader and former Prime Minister Yair Lapid said that he gave “full support to the security forces for a sharp and severe response against terrorism.”

“On days like these there is no opposition and no coalition in Israel,” he said in a thread on X, formerly call Twitter. “We are all united in the face of terrorism and we need to strike it with a hard and determined hand.”

Chair of the centrist Yesh Atid party, Lapid has been a vocal critic of Benjamin Netanyahu's far-right coalition, and has previously appeared at protests against the overhaul of the Israeli supreme court.