Biden administration says it will support Israel following declaration of war

The Biden administration announced Saturday that it would support Israel after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared war following an attack from Palestinian terrorists. 

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement that the U.S. stands with Israel and will ensure the country “has what it needs to defend itself."

“Our commitment to Israel’s right to defend itself remains unwavering,” Austin said. “Over the coming days the Department of Defense will work to ensure that Israel has what it needs to defend itself and protect civilians from indiscriminate violence and terrorism.”

Palestinian terrorists in Gaza launched an attack against Israel on Saturday with rockets and ground forces, inflicting significant casualties.

”We are at war,” Netanyahu declared in a televised address. “Not an ‘operation,’ not a ‘round,’ but at war.”

“The enemy will pay an unprecedented price,” he added, promising that Israel would “return fire of a magnitude that the enemy has not known.”

CBS reports that at least 40 people have been killed as a result of the attack with hundreds wounded.