Israel-Hamas war: Several Americans killed in attack by militant group, says US
Israel-Hamas war: Official word of Americans killed in the conflict came as Israel retaliated for the incursion, launching attacks on Hamas in Gaza.
Several U.S. nationals have died since the start of Hamas' surprise attack on Israel on Saturday, a National Security Council spokesman said Sunday, adding that U.S. officials remained in touch with their Israeli counterparts.
Official word of Americans killed in the conflict came as Israel retaliated for the incursion, one of the bloodiest in it history, launching attacks on the Palestinian enclave of Gaza.
The combined death toll from the Hamas attack on southern Israel has climbed to more than 1,100 as fighting entered a third day. Oil surged as the fighting threatened to inflame tensions in the Middle East, home to almost a third of global supply. (Israel-Hamas war LIVE)
More than 700 Israelis, most of them civilians, were killed in the attacks which erupted outside the Gaza Strip on Saturday morning. About 400 Palestinians have died in fighting and retaliatory attacks, as the Israeli military regained control over most areas breached by militants.
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The operation by Hamas — which included taking scores of Israeli hostages — was an unprecedented incursion that has shaken regional stability and markets. Israel officially declared war and says it won’t stop until Hamas’s military infrastructure is dismantled, a task that seems likely to include a ground invasion and take months.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan discussed the most recent developments related to the Hamas “terrorist attacks” on Israel in a call, according to a readout from the State Department. Blinken encouraged Saudi Arabia’s continued engagement.
US officials have noted Iran’s longstanding support for Hamas, with money and weapons. But US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Sunday the US hasn’t “yet seen direct evidence that Iran was behind this particular attack.”
