Hamas leaders have given the order to evacuate all offices and headquarters following the early-morning rocket attack, which resulted in the injuring of seven persons in Moshav Mishmeret in the Sharon region. Members of the same family from the 60-year-old grandmother to a 6-month girl were injured, all transported to Meir Hospital in Kfar Sava.

It is clear the IDF will respond forcibly to the attack, and the only question is when. Hamas is aware of the reality, and even if the IDF will call this another “misfire attack” as it did last week when sirens sounded in the Tel Aviv region, there will be a retaliatory strike due to the injuries and the extensive damage caused to two structures in the moshav.

B’chasdei Hashem there are no serious injuries, but the attack comes amid mounting tensions at the Gaza border fence to Israel, and only days ahead of Land Day, to be observed this Shabbos, March 30, 2019, which the intelligence community believes will result in cross-border incidents along the northern border. Forces in the IDF’s 210th Division, under the command of Brigadier-General Amit Fisher, were briefed in recent days on the main points of the open-fire regulations in anticipation of the expected demonstrations along the northern border.

There were stormy protests along the northern border over the weekend, as member of the Israeli and Syrian Druze communities protested US President Donald Trump’s recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Israeli Golan Heights, which in previous US administrations, was viewed as “Israeli occupied” by the US and international community.

PM Netanyahu released a tweeted message following the attack, assuring the nation he has been in touch with the IDF chief of staff as well as the head of the ISA (Israel Security Agency/Shin Bet), and that he is cutting his trip short – returning home after his meeting with President Donald Trump in the White House. Mr. Netanyahu was also scheduled to address an AIPAC summit, but he has canceled his participation due to the rocket attack in Israel early Monday morning.

Following today’s attack, Blue and White party leader Benny Gantz tweeted, “Netanyahu has lost the security of Israeli citizens, who once again experiences sirens and a direct hit on a home in the Sharon region.

” The reality in which Hamas makes Israel hostage is unprecedented and inconceivable. This is a security breach and Netanyahu must pack immediately and return to Israel in order to deal with the severe escalation.”

נתניהו איבד את הביטחון ואזרחי ישראל חווים שוב אזעקה ופגיעה ישירה בבית הפעם בשרון.
המציאות שבה חמאס הופך את ישראל לבת ערובה היא חסרת תקדים ובלתי נתפסת. מדובר בפשיטת רגל בטחונית ונתניהו חייב לארוז מיד ולשוב לישראל כדי לטפל בהסלמה החמורה.

— בני גנץ – Benny Gantz (@gantzbe) March 25, 2019

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)