Israel formally declares war as leaders vow to wipe out Hamas and take full control of Gaza

• The Israeli government on Sunday formally declared war on the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
• Hamas controls the blockaded territory of Gaza, which is home to roughly 2 million people.
• Israeli officials say their goal is to wipe out the group and take full control of the enclave.

The Israeli government has formally declared war on Hamas, hours after the country's military began bombarding the Gaza Strip with a stated goal of eliminating the militant group and seizing full control of the Palestinian territory.

US officials, meanwhile, said they expect Israel to launch a full-scale ground invasion in the next 24 to 48 hours.