IDADI YA WATU WALIOSOMA HABARI HII: WASHINGTON – Vice President Dick Cheney says Israel did not seek U.S. clearance or approval before targeting Hamas with a ground invasion into Gaza.

Israeli ground troops and tanks roared through the Gaza Strip early Sunday, cutting the coastal territory into two. The move came after days of a punishing air assault by Israeli forces that was aimed at halting rocket fire by Hamas on Israel.

Cheney says Israeli leaders probably decided that an air campaign was not enough to take out the rocket-launching sites.

The vice president says Israeli didn't seek clearance or approval from the Bush administration.

Cheney spoke on CBS' "Face the Nation."

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate's leaders are standing solidly behind Israel's ground operation against Hamas.

They say Hamas is a terrorist organization that threatens Israel by firing rockets from Gaza into the Jewish state. The senators say Israelis are victims of attacks by Hamas and that Israel is doing everything possible to protect its people.

Sens. Harry Reid and Dick Durbin — the top two Democrats in the chamber — and Republican leader all say Israel's actions are understandable. They say it's what the U.S. would do if terrorists were firing missiles into the U.S. from across America's borders.

The lawmakers made their comments on the Sunday talk shows.