From 6:29 AM on October 7, 2023, it's as if Israelis have been riding a never-ending high-speed train of trauma, each day punctuated by the sounds of sirens, buzzing drones, artillery fire, and fighter jets. The incessant booms of falling shrapnel, exploding Iron Dome interceptors, the words spoken on TV, on the phone with family, written online between friends – all about the missing, the injured, the murdered, the kidnapped. Civilians become soldiers overnight, others attending funerals and protests en masse, as streets transform into murals of socio-political slogans and portraits of unwitting victims.

Images and videos have seared into the collective memory: mutilated bodies stained with blood; raw terror etched on the faces of fleeing concertgoers across a vast field; Shani Louk's lifeless body lynched on the streets of Gaza; Hersh Goldberg-Polin, whose arm was maimed by an RPG, or the white pick-up truck filled with armed Hamas terrorists driving through the streets of Sderot on what was supposed to be a quiet Saturday morning. The examples are endless, and the horror of the massacres and pogroms at the Nova Music Festival and over 20 towns and villages of Israel's South reverberates far beyond its borders. 

In its savage cruelty, in its deliberate targeting of innocent civilians, in its perverse celebration of violence broadcasted for the world to see, the October 7 attack was a declaration of war by Hamas and its sponsors, not just on Israel, but on the very values that underpin civilized society.

The audio-visual trauma is a major part of the weaponry in this war: The taunting hostage videos and discrediting social media posts – these are not mere byproducts of the attack, but central to its aim of sowing fear, helplessness, and long-lasting trauma. Hamas, a ruthless terrorist organization driven by a Nazi-like ideology passed down from Europe to the Middle East at the end of World War II, is built on hatred and savagery. It understands that in today's hyper-connected world, psychological warfare can be as potent as any bomb. Hamas sought to use their atrocities to turn vast sections of the world against Israel through a propaganda campaign. This campaign aimed to justify their actions and has been nurtured for decades.

The debilitating soundtrack and visuals have fueled an algorithm-dictated echo chamber of trauma online and in real life, hour by hour, day after day. In the last 12 months, even the most mundane sights and sounds took on a sinister new meaning, it became clear that no Israeli is immune to this new breed of terror. The color yellow immediately sparks a connection to the 'Bring Them Home' campaign, a haunting reminder of the hostages' plight, and many street noises echo an eerie resemblance to rocket sirens and gunshots, causing people to regularly freeze in panic for a split second before realizing the true origin of the sound.

The trauma inflicted on Israel's psyche is a microcosm of the wounds inflicted on the collective conscience of the Jewish people throughout history. Confronting this threat requires more than military might. It will require moral clarity, psychological resilience, and calling out the double standards that legitimize some victims while ignoring others, the hypocrisy that condemns Israel's self-defense while excusing the provocations that necessitate it.

As Prof. Ofrit Shapira Berman, a historian of Israeli trauma, explains, "October 7th is Israel's biggest trauma yet, not only because of its objective magnitude, but also because it echoes our past traumas – the Holocaust and the Yom Kippur war, in terms of the government's betrayal and failure. The fact that October 7th is experienced by many as a byproduct of the government's actions has broken the trust of many citizens in the government and the state."

A nation forged in trauma

For Israelis, national trauma is a familiar, unwelcome companion. The very inception of the modern State of Israel is inextricably bound with the devastation of the Holocaust, which saw six million Jews systematically murdered. Rising from those ashes, each subsequent war and attack has resulted in Israel's enduring accumulative post-traumatic stress – the War of Independence, Six-Day War, Yom Kippur War, the Lebanon Wars, the Intifadas, Operation Protective Edge, weekly knife attacks and car rammings – seven decades of indelible dents on the collective psyche.

"The events of October 7 result in an estimated 300,000 additional patients who require treatment by a trained professional," notes Prof. Shapira Berman.

This legacy has shaped a society where even schoolchildren practice rocket drills. In the 1990s, they were taught to don gas masks in preparation for biochemical warfare and, today, how to take cover in shelters from incoming missiles. Memorializing the fallen is woven into the very fabric of the Israeli public space. In a sense, it is this shared history of trauma, more than anything else, that binds Israelis together across religious, ethnic, and political divides.

The sheer scale and brutality of the October 7 attack and its aftermath reactions have ushered in a new level of national trauma into Israel's battered consciousness, be it the slaughter of innocent families, the shattering of the idea that the home is a safe haven, the agony over the fate of the hostages, and the global campaigns to delegitimize and gaslight the Israeli narrative by major organizations like the United Nations, and individuals alike. Beyond the initial attack itself, the hate and antisemitism running rampant anywhere from major news networks to the campuses of the biggest universities have shocked Israelis to their core, struggling to understand how their suffering is being ignored or, worse, manipulated and vilified.

Audio-visual trauma: No escape from the horrors

Experts say the constant multimedia conversation can cause a state of hypervigilance, anxiety, flashbacks, and difficulty functioning for many, causing some to slip into dissociative states.

"We are seeing a shared reality where all Israelis are victims," explains Dr. Rony Berger, a clinical psychologist specializing in community resilience. "This leads most Israelis to experience symptoms of acute stress, even if they were not directly impacted." Dr. Berger notes that "Even those not directly exposed to the attacks were deeply traumatized by the constant barrage of disturbing images and stories on TV." 

Dr. Berger highlights the unique challenges posed by the unfiltered videos of the attacks circulating online: "From an evolutionary point of view, we know that the worst flashbacks or sensations are either smell or voice because, in prehistoric eras, these were the cues for danger. Audio-visual pictures that we see on TV could be really traumatizing. I've known a lot of people who were not directly exposed but were extremely affected just by the sights they've seen on TV."

For those near the southern and northern borders, and indeed across most of Israel with the proliferation of threats on multiple fronts, the whole country is impacted by the terrorizing fear of attacks from land, sea, and air as well as online. Mental health professionals are treating a nation reeling from audio-visual trauma on an unprecedented scale. With one in three Israelis exhibiting PTSD symptoms, new treatment approaches are being pioneered, like virtual reality therapy, to help patients process traumatic memories more safely.

The psychological toll spares no one

The war's psychological impact has cut across all sectors of Israeli society. Soldiers and reservists grapple with the horrors witnessed on the battlefield. Families of the murdered and injured face a lifetime of grief and challenges. Survivors of the attacks relive the terror in flashbacks and nightmares. Even young children are not spared, with a generation growing up to explosions and horrifying footage, their innocence forever marred.

Psychotherapist Dr. Shlomit Bresler, who has treated dozens of bereaved families and injured victims, describes the long road ahead. "For many, the grief and trauma is still very raw. First, we focus on stabilization and establishing a sense of safety. The real processing often can only begin once they feel secure that the threat has subsided. With the war still raging, that is a long way off for most."

Dr. Bresler emphasizes the collective nature of the trauma: "We are living in a mass-trauma situation. The entire population is under trauma and various types, but this started before October 7th. October 7th simply reopened a wound and infected it worse. The healing process can only come from deeper sociological and political changes."

"The families of hostages are suffering the most, their lives completely upended, consumed by anguish and despair with each passing day," Dr. Berger reflects. Each day without news chips away at their resilience, the unknown becoming a unique form of torture.

Yehezkel Caine, President of the Herzog Medical Center, Israel's leading mental health institution, describes the situation as a "psychological and emotional catastrophe." He warns of a "coming tsunami of mental health problems" as people return to the remains of their communities, confront the death and destruction, and soldiers return with physical and emotional scars.

"Already our main clinics are overflowing," Caine reports. He emphasizes the shortage of trained therapists proficient in trauma as a major challenge, necessitating extensive training programs and support for the mental health professionals themselves to prevent secondary trauma and burnout.

Caine notes significant differences in the psychological impact and treatment needs between civilian victims, soldiers, and first responders. "The civilian sector is way behind, both due to a lack of trained therapists, little government support and a lack of infrastructure, due to years of neglect of the mental health sector," he explains. The military sector is comparatively better organized, while first responders typically receive services through their units.

Collaboration and long-term needs

Looking ahead, Caine emphasizes the critical need for investment in mental health infrastructure and resources to address the long-term impacts of this unprecedented national trauma. "Manpower, manpower, and manpower!" he stresses, highlighting the years of training required to produce qualified psychiatrists, psychologists, and clinical social workers. "If one can see a positive aspect to the events, it is the sudden recognition by everyone of the problem and, to a certain extent, the destigmatization of mental health," Caine notes. "This is, of course, a good thing. Unfortunately, there is no magic wand that we can wave to produce good quality therapists. It takes at least 5 years to produce a psychiatrist from a qualified doctor. A clinical psychologist can take a similar period. Clinical social workers also require extensive training."

Caine also underscores the lack of physical facilities, with Herzog Medical Center's new clinic building already overflowing just two years after opening. The hospital is embarking on an ambitious $90M project to build a new Mental Health Center, but completion is not expected until 2028.

The road ahead

For a society so deeply shaped by its history of existential threats, regaining a sense of safety and security on both the individual and collective level will be a long and difficult process.

"We need a 'mental Iron Dome' to protect Israelis from this bombardment on our psyche," asserts Prof. Mooli Lahad, Israel's leading expert on coping and resilience. "That means embedding mental health professionals in schools, workplaces, community centers, building a societal infrastructure of psychological support and resilience."

Lahad's BASIC Ph model outlines six coping and resilience styles: Belief, Affect, Social, Imagination, Cognitive, and Physical. "The more of these we are able to utilize, the more resilience we are able to harness to regain a sense of control in an otherwise terrifying situation," he explains.

Prof. Lahad provides some concrete examples of what a "mental Iron Dome" could entail: "It is possible through the resilience centers and through the government services such as community welfare and education. This model is based on the 'cascade' model: we train master trainers who commit themselves to training others. If we manage to train 40 trainers who each commit to training 25 trainees twice, we get around 1000 trained therapists."

He also suggests leveraging technology: "One other method that we developed is an app where the therapist meets the client online but uses the same method of treatment called SEE FAR CBT, making it accessible to those who can't leave home for various reasons."

"The recent pre-war civic conflict surfaced what sociologists warned us about – the growing rift in Israeli society," Prof. Lahad reflects. "This, combined with the feeling that the state is changing course, the global loss of trust in authorities, the social media 'poison' of fake news, the colossal failure of the IDF, the ongoing inability of the government to resolve the conflict and bring an end to the attacks, and the burning issue of the hostages, is causing attrition in the morale and mental health of Israelis."

As Israel marks one year since the October 7 attack, the nation remains haunted by the sounds and images of that horrific day and the war that followed. The collective and personal scars run deep, with mental health professionals warning of a looming crisis as hundreds of thousands grapple with trauma.

"The cruelty of the savage infiltrators has ignited a dormant Jewish post-Holocaust fear of annihilation and disappointment that the state did not manage to fulfill the basic belief of 'never again,'" Prof. Lahad concludes. "It is, therefore, a long road to recovery. Because of the mistrust in authorities, we believe the recovery will have to be bottom-up – back to the local communities, back to human relationships."

Prof. Ofrit Shapira Berman offers a powerful call to action: "I cannot be hopeless about our future as a nation and a society. The Holocaust gave us a nation of our own. October 7th has to have a similar impact on our lives. It is clear that no other nation or people has such a powerful ability to transform suffering and trauma into strength and success, but with that said, ultimately, healing will require placing the spiritual dimension of life at the center because emerging from this crisis will take a sustained, society-wide effort, working together, from the grassroots community level up to the highest echelons of leadership."

NATAL's frontline response

NATAL (Israel Trauma and Resiliency Center) has been at the forefront of addressing the psychological fallout of the October 7 attacks. The organization operates dedicated helplines for civilians and veterans, funded by the Ministry of Defense. Immediately following October 7, these helplines saw an unprecedented call surge, with over 23,000 in the first month alone. To date, NATAL's helplines have received over 53,000 calls, with dramatic spikes during escalations like the Iran missile threats.

To meet the increased demand and complexity of needs, NATAL has significantly expanded its workforce, developing innovative therapeutic approaches like neurofeedback therapy and tailored interventions for specific populations like reservists and soldiers' families. NATAL's Career Development Unit is providing specialized support for young adults transitioning from military reserves back to work.

NATAL's 24/7 Helpline provides psychological support to those affected by war and terror-related trauma. Call *3362 for assistance.

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As the Israel-Hamas war enters its 277th day and intense military activity continues, tragedy follows on.

A man and a woman were killed a direct rocket strike on their car in the Golan Heights. Firefighting teams who arrived at the scene rescued the two citizens from the burning vehicle, which had sustained a direct hit, and transferred them to medical personnel for treatment at the site, who tragically later succumbed to their injuries.

Approximately 40 rocket launches were identified crossing from Lebanon into the central Golan Heights area. This is likely in response to the assassination of the former bodyguard of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah near Damascus, as Hezbollah announced that "in response to the assassination in Syria, we launched dozens of Katyusha rockets at bases in the Golan Heights."

Sources told Saudi networks Al-Hadath and Al-Arabiya that the target of the assassination was a senior Hezbollah figure named Abu Al-Fadl Karnbash. According to the report, he played a significant role in weapons smuggling from Syria to Lebanon. The road they were traveling on is used as one of the routes for smuggling Iranian weapons to Hezbollah.

At the same time, at least eight fires broke out in open areas as a result of the barrage. Firefighting teams have begun extinguishing efforts.

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For the first time in seven years, Israeli aircraft struck what the IDF said were rocket launch sites in south Lebanon early on Thursday in response to earlier projectile fire towards Israel from Lebanese territory.

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Two rockets launched from Lebanon on Wednesday struck Israel, which responded with artillery fire amid heightened regional tensions over an alleged Iranian attack on an oil tanker in the Gulf last week.

The rockets sent residents into bomb shelters as air raid sirens blared in Kiryat Shmona, Kfar Giladi and Tel Hai.

There was no claim of responsibility for the rocket strike, launched from an area of south Lebanon under the sway of Iranian-backed Hezbollah terrorists. There were no casualties.

In a further response to the rocket fire, the IDF said on Thursday that its "fighter jets struck the launch sites and infrastructure used for terror in Lebanon from which the rockets were launched."

An additional target in the area that was a source of rocket fire in the past was also struck, the IDF said.

The IDF statement didn't mention Hezbollah and it wasn't clear if the targets the army attacked belonged to the Shiite terrorist group or other armed groups active in south Lebanon, including Palestinian factions that have fired sporadically on Israel in the past, including two rockets launched towards Israel in July.

Hezbollah's Al-Manar TV said Israeli warplanes had carried out two raids in the outskirts of the Lebanese town of Mahmudiya, about 12 km (7.5 miles) from the Israeli border.

Residents of the area reported blast waves from areas where Hezbollah positions are located. Videos posted to social media showed what appeared to be fires and explosions.

لحظة القصف الإسرائيلي على جنوب لبنان منذ قليل

*الفيديو من صفحة @HusseinShehadee pic.twitter.com/fQxRer7jz3

— جنوبية | Janoubia (@janoubia_news) August 4, 2021

The border has been mostly quiet since Israel fought a 2006 war against Hezbollah.

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, Defense Minister Benny Gantz, and IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi were briefed on the rocket attack and convened a high-level security consultation.

The IDF issued a statement on Twitter saying that "the government of Lebanon bears full responsibility for any rocket fire from its territory toward Israel. There is a lack of governance in Lebanon over terrorist elements, and Israel will not tolerate any rocket fire against it under any circumstance."

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The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon said its Head of Mission and Force Commander, Maj. Gen. Stefano Del Col, was in contact with both parties.

"[ Del Col] urged them to cease fire and to exercise maximum restraint to avoid further escalation, especially on this solemn anniversary," UNIFIL said in a statement.

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The Vaizel family long felt it was just a matter of time before their home was hit by a rocket from Gaza.

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So after it came, plowing through their kitchen wall, they stayed on, trying to maintain a semblance of normal life even as fresh sirens forced them to rush back down to the bomb shelter.

An eruption of fighting on May 10 saw more than 4,300 rockets launched at Israel by terrorist operatives in the Gaza Strip, salvoes of an unprecedented intensity for southern Israel even as its forces have pounded Hamas targets in the Palestinian enclave.

"It is sad to say but we got used to it," said Adi Vaizel, 50, a widowed father of four. "Every few years we have this routine. It's unpleasant but, you know, we live in a place which is near a border, near a country we have a conflict with."

He added: "This round has been especially difficult."

Sirens sounded as the family hosted a Reuters TV crew. Everyone – including their dog named Shluk – trooped down to a fortified room in the basement, which saved them from the rocket strike on Sunday.

When the all-clear sounded, they were back upstairs, preparing food off improvised equipment in the ruined kitchen.

"There is still some fear, as they continue to fire rockets," said Vaizel's 17-year-old son Shai. "But I think it won't help if we go elsewhere. This is our home."

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Iraqi officials said the embassy's recently installed C-RAM air defense system may have attempted to intercept the rocket as the system was operational late Saturday. A recent spate of rocket attacks has struck close to the US embassy and targeted American troops on Iraqi bases. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.

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The rocket was launched from the Ali Al-Saleh area of Baghdad and landed next to a house close to a local TV channel late Saturday, the military statement said. A child suffered head injuries and the house was damaged.

Iraqi security forces say they also thwarted another attack in the Umm al-Azam area aiming to hit Camp Taji, north of Baghdad, a training base used by US-led coalition forces.

In March, two Americans and one British soldier were killed following a barrage of rockets on Camp Taji.

The latest uptick in attacks comes shortly before Iraq embarks on strategic talks with the US in which the presence of American forces in the country is expected to top the agenda.

The US has criticized the federal government for being unable to reign in Iran-backed militia groups it believes are orchestrating the attacks. Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi has pledged to protect American installations from attacks, US officials said.

Iraqi security forces last week raided the headquarters of the powerful Iran-backed paramilitary Kataib Hezbollah and detained 14 men suspected of being responsible for rocket attacks targeting the Green Zone. Thirteen detainees were later released and one remains in custody.

The move drew praise from the US but condemnation from Iran-backed political factions in Iraq.

The US embassy began testing the new air defense system late Saturday, the Iraqi officials said. It drew condemnation from Deputy Speaker of Parliament Hassan al-Kaabi, who called on the government to take action against the "illegal" move which would "provoke the Iraqi people," according to a government statement.

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The shells were intercepted by the Iron Dome defense system, the IDF said.

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Palestinian media reported that several people were lightly injured in the strike, which targeted weapon production sites in the Strip's north.

Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories Maj. Gen. Kamil Abu-Rukun later declared that in response to the rocket fire, the fishing zone off Gaza's coast will be restricted from 14 to 10 nautical miles.

In response to the rocket fired from #Gaza at Israel overnight, IDF fighter jets struck a Hamas weapons manufacturing site in Gaza.

We hold Hamas responsible for the events transpiring in the Gaza Strip and emanating from it.

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) December 19, 2019

On Wednesday evening, the IDF reported that the IAF fired at an armed terrorist who approached the border in the southern Gaza Strip, near Khan Younis.

This latest round of rocket-retaliation comes two weeks after a significant flare-up on the southern border, following Israel's assassination of senior Islamic Jihad terrorist, Baha Abu al-Ata.

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The sources made it clear that Iran-backed PIJ was behind the latest rocket fire at Israel, which they said was in response to Israeli violations of understandings between the sides. According to the sources, Israel had agreed not to target border demonstrators with live fire but had not adhered to that promise in recent weeks.

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Following a barrage of rockets from the Gaza Strip on Friday, the IDF responded Saturday with a wave of pre-dawn airstrikes on the Hamas-ruled enclave.

The army said it targeted sites belonging to Hamas after Palestinians fired 10 rockets into Israel late on Friday.

Eight of them were reportedly intercepted by the Iron Dome system. One projectile hit a house in Sderot, a town near the border, causing damage but no casualties, police said.

PIJ, the sources continued, opposes the continuation of mediated talks between Israel and the armed groups based in Gaza – for the purpose of securing humanitarian aid – which they deem an affront to the Palestinians. The PIJ sources claimed Israel was using the pretense of mediated talks to preoccupy and distract Palestinian factions and terrorist groups.

Following the rocket fire and Israel's subsequent response on Saturday, the sources added that mediators from Egypt, the United Nations and Qatar sought to temper the violence and prevent an escalation.

According to the Palestinian sources, Israel sent a message via Egypt that it will not accept the renewal of rocket fire, particularly while Qatar is transferring money and goods are being allowed into Gaza at a higher rate than before. Israel stressed, via the Egyptian mediators, that it will not show restraint to additional provocations, despite the political deadlock in the country.

PIJ doesn't commit to avoid escalation

The sources went on to say that the various foreign mediators have thus far failed to secure a commitment from PIJ to avoid escalating hostilities.

PIJ's military wing declared on Saturday that "the enemy's threats about going to war in the Gaza Strip are nothing new. They only enhance our resolve to continue defending our people and our efforts against the occupier."

The terrorist organization stressed it will keep "defending the [Palestinian] people as long as there is aggression."

"We will never let the Zionist entity establish new equations. This enemy won't enjoy quiet and live in tranquility and security as long as it commits crimes against the Palestinian people and occupies its lands," PIJ said.

Likud MK Gideon Sa'ar, meanwhile, criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the Israeli response to the rocket fire, saying it needed to be "much harsher."

He continued: "Israel's target needs to be dismantling Hamas and PIJ's military infrastructure in Gaza. This is just one of the main reasons we must resolve the current political crisis and form a broad national unity government."

According to MK Naftali Bennett (Yamina), "Israel is facing a national emergency. It won't be possible to postpone the thorough treatment that is required in Gaza, in conjunction with curbing Iran's ring of missiles around Israel."

Blue and White leader Benny Gantz posted to Twitter that "a government under my leadership won't tolerate a threat toward the southern residents and won't tolerate any violation of Israel's sovereignty."

Addressing Friday night's rocket fire at Israel, Gantz added: "We will restore our deterrence at all costs, even if we need to personally harm those who are spearheading the escalation."

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Residents heard the explosions followed by alert sirens that sounded briefly across the Tigris River. It was the second such attack since May, when a rocket was fired into the Green Zone, landing near the sprawling US Embassy compound. Such attacks have been blamed on Iranian-backed militias in Baghdad, some of whom want US troops stationed in Iraq to leave.

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Monday's attack comes amid heightened tensions in the region following an attack on Saudi oil installations that the US and Britain have blamed on Iran.

There also has been a series of airstrikes on bases belonging to Iran-backed militias in Iraq that the militias have blamed on Israel and its US ally by extension. Israel, which frequently targets Iranian interests in neighboring Syria, has not confirmed its involvement in the airstrikes inside Iraq.

Officials said there was no word of casualties from Monday's attack, which coincided with a sound bomb targeting a club in central Baghdad that caused damage to cars parked outside.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.

As tensions escalate between the US and Iran, there have been concerns that Baghdad could once again get caught in the middle. Baghdad's fragile government is allied with both sides and has struggled to remain neutral in the conflict.

Earlier this year, the US ordered nonessential staff out of its diplomatic posts in Iraq after an alleged, unexplained threat from Iran.

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It was not the first attack of that type. Rockets have already been fired at the Hermon in recent years.

As a reminder, the most recent rocket attack, in January, took place in the afternoon hours and was carried out by Shiite militias supported by Iran, while the ski resort in the area was full of visitors. The rocket was intercepted by an Iron Dome battery stationed there in advance. That incident, which came in response to an Israeli airstrike, was exploited by Israel to carry out a broad attack on Iranian targets in Syria, most notably a logistics center used by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Hezbollah at the international airport in Damascus, which was knocked almost completely out of commission.

And yet, the rocket attack on Saturday was unusual in the sense that it seemingly came out of the blue. Unlike previous incidents, the attack wasn't carried out in response or retaliation to any Israeli activity.

This could indicate that someone on the other side is fed up with Israel dictating the rules of the game in the north, and wants to send it a message that there's more than one player on the field.

As of Sunday evening, Israeli officials were still unsure who fired the Grad rockets, one of which landed on the Hermon and the other, apparently, in Syrian territory.

The rockets were launched from a distance of around 30 kilometers (19 miles), from an area with multiple active actors, at least three of whom could have an interest in harming Israel: the Syrian regime or a group acting on its behalf, in an attempt to convey Damascus' sovereignty; Iranian proxies (Shiite militias or Hezbollah), seeking revenge against Israel for a plethora of possible reasons – from airstrikes on weapons depots to economic sanctions imposed on Tehran; or another player, either Palestinian or another such terrorist group, who managed to get their hands on rockets and decided to put them to use.

From Israel's perspective, it doesn't really matter who fired the rockets. The response – striking Syrian artillery and anti-aircraft batteries and an intelligence gathering post near the border – sought to reiterate that as the sovereign power it is the regime's responsibility to prevent hostile activities against Israel from its territory. This is Israel's standing policy (in Gaza, too) – target the sovereign entity so that it exerts said sovereignty – to which it adhered to even throughout the Syrian civil war when the Assad regime was not in control of the border region. Therefore, it stands to reason that Israel is continuing to implement this policy now that the Syrian army has seized full control of the frontier region.

Still, this rocket attack should concern officials in Jerusalem because it means that someone in Syria wants to challenge Israel.

For the time being, the attack does not alter the basic situational assessment. The IDF enjoys complete dominance in the northern sector. If it avoids making mistakes (specifically regarding Russian forces in Syria), it will be able to continue, for now, to pound away at Iran's entrenchment and weapons smuggling efforts. In the long term, however, Israel will have to consider and plan new avenues of action that reinforce deterrence and ensure that Israel meets its objectives in Syria; and as a byproduct in Lebanon as well.

Given the recent political upheaval in Israel, this task falls almost squarely on the IDF's shoulders.

Consequently, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi will have to continue bearing an extraordinarily heavy load until a new, stable government can formulate a clear policy, security-related and otherwise. Until then, it seems things will mostly stay the same: from the frequent headaches in Gaza to the far more disconcerting security concerns in the north.

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An IDF spokesman said that two rockets were fired at Israel, causing no casualties or damage. It was still unclear who had fired the rockets or where they had landed, he said.

According to Israeli media, air raid sirens in northern Israel were not activated.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement saying, "I held a security consultation yesterday [Saturday] following the fire on the Golan Heights and I instructed the IDF to take offensive action.

"Our policy is clear – we will not tolerate any aggression against us, and we will respond forcefully. This has been our consistent policy, which I have been leading, and we will continue with it, for the sake of Israel's security."

The army spokesman also confirmed on Twitter that Israel targeted several military positions in Syria. He said the targets included two artillery batteries, several observation and intelligence gathering posts and an SA2 air defense unit.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said Israeli warplanes struck positions and an arms depot of Iranian troops and Lebanon's Hezbollah fighters.

Syrian television reported big explosions near Damascus early on Sunday and said air defenses had "confronted the enemy."

Another report by the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency quoted an unnamed military official as saying the attacks struck military positions in the southern region of Quneitra, near the Golan Heights. They also caused material damage, it said.

Last week, Israeli aircraft hit a Syrian military post after the army said an anti-aircraft missile was fired at one of its fighter jets flying inside Israeli airspace. Syrian media said a soldier was killed in the Israeli response.

Israel has said repeatedly that it will not allow Iran, which has sent forces to help Syrian President Bashar Assad in Syria's civil war, to establish a permanent military presence in Syria.

For years, Israel has remained largely silent about its attacks against Iran and its Shiite proxies operating in neighboring Syria. But in recent months, military and political leaders have become increasingly outspoken about these activities.

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