Twitter becomes a battleground amid Israeli strikes

People look at the wreckage of the car of Ahmed Jabari, head of the Hamas military wing, in Gaza City after an Israeli airstrike Nov. 14, 2012. / AP Photo

Twitter may have played host to a first of modern warfare Wednesday.

The Israeli Army sent out a tweet to about 71,431 followers that it had embarked on an operation against Hamas. It announced the death of Ahmed Jabari, the commander of the Hamas military wing Izzedine al Qassam Brigades, in one of some 20 airstrikes on the Gaza Strip -- the heaviest barrage on the Palestinian territory in four years in retaliation for renewed rocket fire on southern Israel.

• Hamas militant chief killed in Israeli airstrikes
• Watch: Israeli Defense Forces pinpoint strike on Hamas leader

Fast Company reports it was the "world's first announcement of a military campaign via Twitter."

Here's a chronological timeline of tweets between the Twitter accounts @IDFSpokesperson and @AlqassamBrigade during Wednesday's events.