Israel airstrikes in Gaza rage on after deadly Hamas raid.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday warned of a 'long and difficult' war, as fighting with Hamas left hundreds dead on both sides after a surprise attack on Israel by the Palestinian group.

The conflict's bloodiest escalation in decades saw Hamas carry out a massive rocket barrage and ground, air and sea offensive on Saturday that Israel's army said had killed more than 200 Israelis and wounded 1,000, while soldiers and civilians were taken hostage.

Gaza officials said intense Israeli air strikes on the coastal enclave had brought the Palestinian death toll to at least 256, with nearly 1,788 wounded.

As fighting raged on Sunday, Lebanon's powerful Hezbollah movement said it had fired 'large numbers of artillery shells and guided missiles' at Israeli positions in a contested border areas 'in solidarity' with Hamas.

Israel's army had earlier said it fired artillery on southern Lebanon in response to a shot from the area without identifying the attackers.

'We are embarking on a long and difficult war that was forced on us by a murderous Hamas attack,' Netanyahu said on X, formerly Twitter, early on Sunday.

'At the same time, we have begun the offensive phase, which will continue with neither limitations nor respite until the objectives are achieved. We will restore security to the citizens of Israel and we will win,' he said.

Earlier, the premier warned that 'all the places in which Hamas is based, in this city of evil, all the places Hamas...