Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu promised a swift response to the deadly triple terror attack that left at least 6 Israelis dead and 33 wounded Thursday.
Speaking to Eilat Mayor Meir Yitzhak-Halevy following three separate terror attacks in the area, Netanyahu said, "We're talking about a serious incident in which Israeli citizens were hurt and the country's sovereignty was harmed."
Netanyahu is expected to address the nation and make a formal statement at 7:15 P.M. (GMT+2) later in the evening.
Earlier on Thursday, Defense Minister Ehud Barak said that the IDF will hunt down the perpetrators of the three-stage terrorist attack. Barak said that Israel will strike back at the terrorist infrastructure in Gaza in response to the attacks.
Speaking from his office at the Defense Ministry headquarters in Tel Aviv, the defense minister added that the IDF was assessing the security situation along the Israeli-Egyptian border which – despite available funds – is only 10% fenced.
"The attacks demonstrate the weakening of Egypt's control over the Sinai peninsula and the expansion of terrorist activity there," Barak said, adding "These attacks originate in Gaza and we will act against them with full force and resolve."
Also Thursday, the United Nations evacuated its foreign personnel from Gaza fearing a muscular Israeli response to the attacks.
Before the attacks some Israeli security officials had called for a large-scale operation in Gaza to deal with the terror threat posed by Hamas and other terror groups there.
Security experts say Israel may have to take control of the Philadelphi Cooridior -- separating Gaza from Sinai -- to truly impair Hamas' ability to strike at Israel.