Israeli forces entered Gaza for localized raids, IDF tells Fox News

The Israel Defense Forces tells Fox News that its infantry forces and tanks entered the Gaza Strip Friday to conduct localized raids.

Fox News’ Trey Yingst reported the military action was not the much-anticipated ground invasion by the Israeli military of the Gaza Strip.

The development comes as the militant group Hezbollah took responsibility for targeting Israeli military posts with small-arms fire along the country’s border with Lebanon, which the Israelis responded to with artillery strikes. 

More than 1,300 Israelis were killed and thousands more wounded when Hamas launched a surprise terror attack on the Jewish state Saturday. As many as 150 people are believed to have been taken captive by terrorists and held in Gaza, according to Israeli authorities.

LIVE UPDATES: ISRAEL AT WAR WITH HAMAS 

Israel has called up some 360,000 military reservists to respond to the Hamas-led terror campaign. Those forces have gathered on Israel’s border with Gaza ahead of a possible full-scale invasion to reclaim the hostages and eliminate Hamas terrorists.

Israel has warned the 1.1 million people living in the north of Gaza to evacuate the area within 24 hours as a “humanitarian step in order to minimize civilian casualties” ahead of the military’s response to Hamas’ terrorist attacks.

Fox News’ Chris Pandolfo contributed to this report.