Lebanon's Hezbollah hails Hamas for 'heroic operation'

Lebanon's powerful Iran-backed Hezbollah praised Hamas for its "heroic operation" after the Palestinian militant group launched an air, sea and land attack on Israel Saturday.

Israel said it was at war with Hamas following the surprise dawn attack from the blockaded Gaza Strip that, according to medics, had so far killed at least 22 people on its territory.

"Hezbollah congratulates the resisting Palestinian people," the Lebanese Shiite movement said in a statement, hailing Hamas and its armed wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, for the "large-scale, heroic operation".

Hezbollah said its leadership was following the developments and "in direct contact with the leadership of the Palestinian resistance at home and abroad".

In 2006 Hezbollah and Israel fought a 34-day war that left more than 1,200 dead in Lebanon, mostly civilians, and 160 in Israel, mostly soldiers.

Israel has imposed a crippling blockade on Gaza since 2007 after Hamas took power.

Violence in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has surged since early last year.

In its statement, Hezbollah said the Hamas operation in Israel was a "response to the continued crimes of the occupation and the continued assault on holy sites."

The Iran-backed group, listed as a terrorist organisation by the United States and Israel, also said the Hamas operation was "a message to the Arab and Muslim world and the entire international community, especially those seeking normalisation".

Washington has been pushing for Israel and Saudi Arabia to establish diplomatic ties.

The European Union, United States and Israel consider Hamas to be a terrorist group.