Israel’s bombing campaign is focusing on “damage and not on accuracy”, a spokesman for the military has said as the Gaza strip is pounded by missile strikes.

Rear-Adml Daniel Hagari said “hundreds of tons of bombs” had already been dropped on the enclave run by Hamas, following the terror attack on Israel.

Israel appears increasingly likely to launch a ground offensive in the 25-mile-long strip of land wedged between Israel, Egypt and the Mediterranean Sea.

The army has called up 300,000 reservists and massed tanks and other heavy armour both near Gaza and on the northern border with Lebanon, Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) spokesman Jonathan Conricus said.

One Israeli security official told Channel 13 News in Israel the campaign would reduce Gaza to a “city of tents”.

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