Last weekend, the Israel Defense Forces faced the unusual situation of all its fronts being challenged simultaneously. On the night of Feb. 6, the Syrian media reported a missile assault on western Damascus targets that caused numerous deaths and wounded many people. In the aftermath, the wave of violence that has flooded Israel and the Palestinian territories ever since the Jan. 28 announcement of US President Donald Trump’s “deal of the century” and the annexation declarations has also escalated. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu backing down from annexing West Bank territories before the March 2 elections did little to curb the violence.

In addition to these worrisome signs, the region lacks the strong leadership needed to calm the territory. Netanyahu is occupied by the upcoming crucial elections, the Israeli cabinet is barely functioning, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is in the twilight of his rulership and more worried about his legacy than the current situation. Thus, the few remaining stabilizing agents of the region face serious challenges.

The violence that erupted in the territories is not officially sanctioned or organized, but enjoys significant support from the Palestinian Authority leadership in Ramallah. Abbas, despite his statements and threats, has not yet put an end to security cooperation with Israel but personally instructed his security apparatus not to hold back the masses that want to protest the American/Israeli plan, which in Abbas’ words is intended to "liquidate the Palestinian national project." In the days that have since passed, many acts of violence by Palestinian assailants have been reported. There has been one vehicular attack in Jerusalem in which 12 Golani soldiers were wounded, an attempted shooting of an Israeli border police officer and an attempted shooting of IDF troops as well as the hurling of stones and Molotov cocktails at Israel’s security forces all over the country.

Simultaneously, explosive balloon attacks from Gaza have intensified and at least five rockets were launched from the Strip at Israel. The balloons, once viewed as a nuisance, have become a growing threat, traversing longer distances into Israel and carrying bigger explosive charges.