Gaza Conflict: Timeline of Saturday's attacks and Israel's retaliation
Israel on Saturday made for one of the most violent and deadly days of fighting in the region in decades.
Hamas, the militant group that controls the Gaza Strip, launched a series of rocket strikes that hit major cities across Israel, and it sent waves of fighters across the border into southern Israel, where they took over bases and seized hostages.
Here's a timeline of what happened Saturday and into Sunday in Israel and Gaza (times are local):
6:35 a.m.: The first sirens warn of incoming rockets in central and southern Israel. This is the start of Hamas' firing what will be thousands of rockets at Israel, striking even major cities like Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.
Muhammad Deif, the leader of the military wing of Hamas, said in a recorded message that the group had decided to launch what he called an «operation» so that «the enemy will understand that the time of their rampaging without accountability has ended.»
Netanyahu tells Israel 'We are at war' after Hamas launches an unprecedented attack on the country
7:40 a.m.: The Israel Defense Forces confirm that Hamas fighters have crossed from Gaza into southern Israel. Israeli authorities ask residents of these towns, including Sderot, to hide in their homes.
8:15 a.m.: The first sirens go off in Jerusalem, which rarely gets hit by rockets because of the Iron Dome defense system Israel uses. It was unclear if any rockets had struck the center of the contested city. But a witness said that rockets had landed in the wooded hills on the city's western edge.
8:23 a.m.: Nearly two hours after the first air raid sirens, the scale of the attacks is becoming clear. Hamas has taken hostages in southern Israel and fired wave after wave of rockets. Israel
