Israel targets underground tunnels in bombings as blackout causes chaos in Gaza

The latest:

Israel is expanding its ground operation against Hamas militants in Gaza with infantry and armoured vehicles backed by "massive" strikes from the air and sea, a military spokesperson said Saturday.

Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said "forces are still on the ground and are continuing the war."

Previously, troops had conducted brief nightly ground incursions before returning to Israel. 

Earlier Saturday, the military had released videos showing columns of armoured vehicles moving slowly in open sandy areas of Gaza, the first visual confirmation of ground troops, and said warplanes bombed dozens of Hamas tunnels and underground bunkers.

The move is a further escalation in Israel's campaign to crush the territory's ruling militant group Hamas after its bloody incursion in southern Israel three weeks ago — a new sign that Israel is moving closer to an all-out invasion of Gaza.

Late Friday, Hagari said ground forces were "expanding their activity" in Gaza and "acting with great force ... to achieve the objectives of the war" as Israel amassed hundreds of thousands of troops along the border.

Hagari appeared Saturday in a video message on X, formerly known as Twitter, to urge Palestinians in northern Gaza and Gaza City to immediately relocate south.

"This is a temporary measure. Moving back to northern Gaza will be possible once the intense hostilities end," he said.

Overnight into Saturday, warplanes struck 150 tunnels and underground bunkers in northern Gaza, the military said. Hamas's extensive underground installations, many of them located under Gaza City in the north of the territory, are seen as key targets of the offensive.

As part of the stepped-up bombardment, Israel also knocked out communications and created a near-blackout of information, largely cutting off the 2.3 million people in besieged Gaza from contact with the outside world.

Already plunged into darkness after most electricity was cut off weeks ago, Palestinians were thrown into isolation, huddling in homes and shelters with food and water supplies running out. Attempts to reach Gaza residents by phone were largely unsuccessful early Saturday.

With no electricity, no communications and no water, many of those trapped in Gaza had little choice but to wait in their homes or seek the relative safety of schools and hospitals even as Israel expanded its bombing early Saturday. 

The Palestinian telecom provider, Paltel, said the bombardment caused "complete disruption" of internet, cellular and landline services. Relatives outside Gaza panicked after their messaging chats with families inside suddenly went dead and calls stopped going through.