Israel steps up air strikes, deploys tens of thousands of soldiers to secure border

IDF aims to evacuate all Israelis living close to the Gaza Strip within 24 hours as it deploys tens of thousands of soldiers to fight Palestinian militants who had infiltrated into Israel.

Israeli soldiers armed with artillery cannons man their position at an undisclosed location in northern Israel bordering Lebanon, as fighting between Israeli forces and the Palestinian militant group Hamas raged on October 8, 2023. Picture: AFP

Gaza militant group Hamas launched a surprise attack against Israel on Saturday, firing thousands of rockets as far north as Tel Aviv and sending fighters into southern cities near the border. Follow the latest below.