The Israeli military says it is gearing up for a potential ground assault on Gaza, but the final call has not been made by the country’s political leaders. Lt. Col. Richard Hecht said on Thursday that troops are preparing for a ground maneuver if decided. Israel has summoned some 360,000 army reservists and has warned of a massive retaliation to Hamas’ brutal, widespread raid over the weekend. It has been raining down heavy airstrikes on Gaza since the attack on Saturday, while militants have launched thousands of rockets at Israel.Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the country’s president, Isaac Herzog, and members of the cabinet in Israel on Thursday. Blinken’s visit, in which he will meet with officials from several Arab countries, is partly aimed at dissuading other states or militant groups from joining in the conflict, a senior administration official said. The secretary of state is also scheduled to visit Jordan, and U.S. officials said the trip may be extended.
