Barak Approves Call-up of 30,000 Reservists

Israel Defense Minister Ehud Barak okayed on Thursday the call-up of 30,000 reserve soldiers, who can be called into action by the military at any point.

“We are in the process of expanding the campaign,” occupation army’s official spokesman Brigadier General Yoav Mordechai told Channel 2 television as the army said militants had fired more than 380 rockets across the border.

“The defense minister approved a few minutes ago, based on the army’s request, the recruitment of another 30,000 soldiers. We will determine how many of them will be called in,” he said.

“This means that all options are on the table,” he said.
“I can assume that tonight will be very not quiet in the Gaza Strip,” Mordechai said.

For his part, the spokesman of Islamic Jihad’s military branch, al-Quds Brigades dismissed the Israeli move as a propaganda aimed at affecting the Palestinians’ spirits during the brutal assault against the besieged enclave.

The remarks came as the military said 274 rockets had hit the occupied territories in the 28 hours since an Israeli strike killed a top Hamas commander, and that another 112 had been intercepted in mid-flight by the Iron Dome anti-missile system.