Israel's military continued its bombardment of the Gaza Strip early Monday as fighting intensified with Hamas fighters and the death toll surged above 1100.
This comes two days after Hamas launched a barrage of rockets and sent out a wave of fighters who took hostages in a massive surprise attack on Israel.
On Sunday, the Jewish nation, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, subsequently declared war on Hamas fighters in Gaza.
“Overnight, IDF fighter jets, helicopters, aircraft and artillery struck over 500 Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorist targets in the Gaza Strip,” Israel Defence Force (IDF) International spokesperson, Richard Hecht said in a statement.
Hecht revealed that the military has drafted 300,000 army reservists to bolster their forces.
Meanwhile, in the early hours of Monday, Israel’s defence minister, Yoav Gallant, said the Gaza Strip will go under “total blockade”, with Israel cutting off electricity and blocking the entry of food and fuel.
US Deploys Warships Closer to Israel in Show of Support
The US has extended its full support in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
The US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said that the US will send multiple military ships and aircraft closer to Israel.
“I have directed the movement of the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group to the Eastern Mediterranean."
"This includes the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78), the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Normandy (CG 60), as well as the Arleigh-Burke-class guided missile destroyers USS Thomas Hudner (DDG 116), USS Ramage (DDG 61), USS Carney (DDG 64), and USS Roosevelt (DDG 80).
"We have also taken steps to augment U.S. Air Force F-35, F-15, F-16, and A-10 fighter aircraft squadrons in the region," he added.
