Premier Netanyahu says Israel ‘at war’

By Abdul Raouf Arnaout

JERUSALEM (AA) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday that Israel is “at war.”

“We are at war, and not in a military operation,” Netanyahu said in a statement.

"Hamas launched a sudden deadly attack against the State of Israel and its citizens,” the Israeli leader said.

Netanyahu ordered “the Israeli forces to purge town centers of terrorists who had infiltrated Israel.”

He also ordered “mobilizing military reserves on a large scale.”

“The enemy will pay an unprecedented price,” Netanyahu said.

The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation said that Defense Minister Yoav Galant approved the mobilization of reserve forces after announcing preparations to deal with the situation as a state of war.

Israel has declared a “state of readiness” for war after Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip fired an intense barrage of rockets early Saturday toward Israel, reports Israel Broadcasting Authority.

The rocket salvoes were fired from different locations in the enclave but Israel’s Iron Dome defense system intercepted many, according to an Anadolu correspondent.

At least 20 Israelis were killed and over 540 others injured in the Gaza rockets attack, the Israeli media reported.

*Writing by Ikram Kouachi