Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s spokesman Mark Regev told foreign media Wednesday: “What we see is that over the last few years Hamas has built up in Gaza a very formidable terrorist military machine and we are now acting to dismantle that machine.” Asked about an IDF ground operation, he said: "It’s possible, we are ready for every contingency, the army has been instructed to prepare for that - if that is what politicians decide. Our strategic goal is ultimately defensive, to end the rocket fire on our cities.”