Israel told the United Nations Security Council on Saturday that Palestinian Islamist group Hamas "holds the sole responsibility and will bear the results" of its attack on the country.

"The state of Israel will act in any way necessary to protect its citizens and sovereignty from the ongoing terrorist attacks originating from the Gaza Strip and carried out by Hamas and other terrorist organizations," Israel's U.N. Ambassador Gilad Erdan wrote to the 15-member council in a letter seen by Reuters.

(Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Ismail Shakil)