TEL AVIV, July 8. /ITAR-TASS/. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered on Tuesday the country’s Armed Forces to prepare for a ground campaign in the Gaza Strip.

The prime minister has held consultations with the leadership of security agencies of Israel in the Defense Ministry’s headquarters in Tel Aviv. According to media reports, the consultations involved Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon, Chief of General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces Benny Gantz, Israel Security Agency Chief Yoram Cohen etc.

An anonymous Israeli source reported that at the consultations, Netanyahu gave an order to the army “to prepare for a thorough, long-term, massive and forceful campaign” in the Gaza Strip. “The option of a ground campaign is on the agenda,” the source added.

According to available information, at the consultations, the army’s leadership turned to the prime minister asking permission for additional call-out.

 

Israel’s Protective Edge campaign

Overnight to Tuesday, the Israeli army started a military operation called ‘Protective Edge’ in the Palestinian coastal enclave.

So far, actively operating are the Air Force and Navy of Israel. They have delivered 50 strikes from air and sea through the night.

According to reports, 17 locals received injuries of varying severity as a result of the operation.

Earlier, Israel announced the mobilization of 1.5 thousand reservists and sent two army brigades to the border with Gaza Strip explaining this with the need to provide security.

 

New air strikes from Israel

On Tuesday, the Israeli army delivered strikes on the command center of the terrorists and another 40 targets in the Gaza Strip.

“Several minutes ago the Israeli army has delivered strikes on the terrorists’ command center hidden in civil facilities, as well as on another 40 centers of terrorist activity in the Gaza Strip,” the statement says.

Palestinian media reported that as a result of a localized air strike of the Israeli army, three Palestinians were killed in the Gaza Strip. A helicopter of the Israeli armed forces reportedly delivered a missile strike on a car in the central part of the Gaza Strip.