A mushroom cloud of smoke was all that was left of a Hamas rocket intercepted by Israel's Iron Dome in Ashkelon today. It was one of the hundreds fired by the Hamas from their stronghold in Gaza strip since Saturday that NDTV witnessed.
On the ground there is silence. Most of the people have been evacuated for safety. While the Iron Dome acts as a sieve, neutralising the rockets, one or two can slip through, causing heavy damage on the ground.
The NDTV is in Ashkelon -- a coastal city just a few kilometres from the Gaza Strip. As the team was about to check into a hotel this morning, they had to run for cover as air raid sirens blared.
Most people are taking refuge in basement shelters -- built for such an eventuality, even though the ground air and sea attack of Saturday took Israel completely by surprise on Saturday.
While speculation abounds over the failure of Israeli intelligence -- considered second only to the US -- the country's defence establishment says they are now focussing on saving lives.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to "change the Middle East". "What Hamas will experience will be difficult and terrible... we are going to change the Middle East," Mr Netanyahu said.
Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said he has ordered a "complete siege" of the Gaza Strip. "There will be no electricity, no food, no fuel, everything is closed," he said.
All through the day, the Israeli forces pounded the Gaza Strip with air strikes. The number of deaths in Palestine has crossed 500.
The corresponding figure in Israel has crossed 800, reported The Times of Israel citing uncorroborated Hebrew media reports.
According to Israel Health Ministry, 2,506 people injured have been taken to hospitals, including 23 who are in critical condition and 353 who are seriously wounded, The Times of Israel reported.
