500 illegal migrants have crossed the English Channel so far today, GB News can confirm.

The migrants reached UK waters after people smugglers launched a wave of 11 migrant boats from a huge stretch of coastline.

GB News can confirm boats were pushed out from beaches in Belgium down to the French port of Dieppe, around 130 miles further south.

Up to four more migrant boats are still in French waters heading for the UK.

If all boats make it, close to 800 illegal immigrants will have crossed the Channel through today.

It follows days of extensive people smuggling operations on the French coastline as illegal migrants look to exploit the warm conditions.

Criminal gangs have changed their tactics this time around with a “full-frontal assault” across a wide stretch of French coast.

This morning saw a huge surge of boats from Dunkirk in the north, to Dieppe, a hundred miles south, in a bid to overwhelm French police patrols.

One maritime security source told GB News: "What we're seeing here is a full-frontal assault by the criminal gangs.

"For weeks, they've been frustrated by increased police patrols, hampering their ability to launch boats from their regular push-off points around Calais and Dunkirk.

"That's forced a switch in tactics, with most launches happening up to a hundred miles south of Dunkirk, around the Dieppe area."

People smugglers tried a new route yesterday which began even further south than Dieppe.

The port of Fecamp, located about 40 miles further down the coast from Dieppe, was used to launch a boat.

Just 26 illegal migrants were aboard in a “proof of concept” journey.

The maritime security source told GB News that criminal people smugglers were constantly switching tactics to try to outsmart French police patrols.

"What we're seeing is the kind of surge tactics we haven't seen in the Channel for quite some time.

"It's an attempt to overwhelm and stretch the French police.

"Even with the millions of pounds of extra funding the French are getting from the UK, they still can't be everywhere at once.

"And there's no doubt this has worked today. Hundreds have already managed to cross, and the day is far from over."