Israel pounds Gaza after deadly Hamas raid as conflict threatens to spiral

More than 500 Israelis and Palestinians are dead, with many Israelis taken captive, after a surprise attack by Hamas group.

Fire and smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City on Oct 7, 2023.

Israel battered Gaza on Sunday (Oct 8), a day after suffering its bloodiest attack in decades when Hamas fighters rampaged through Israeli towns, killing hundreds and abducting an unknown number of others, threatening a major new war in the Middle East.

In a sign the conflict could spread beyond Gaza, Israel and Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah militia exchanged artillery and rocket fire, while in Alexandria, two Israeli tourists were shot dead along with their Egyptian guide.

Overnight, Israeli air strikes had pounded housing blocks, tunnels, a mosque and homes of Hamas officials in Gaza, killing more than 300 people, including 20 children, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed "mighty vengeance for this wicked day".

Gun fights raged in towns and on highways as the Israeli army deployed tens of thousands of forces to secure southern desert regions near the coastal enclave, aiming to rescue Israeli hostages and then evacuate the entire region within 24 hours.