Rocket hits Be'er Sheva home
Rocket hits Be'er Sheva homeYonatan Sindel/Flash 90

The meeting of the Political-Security cabinet, in which the ministers discussed the latest escalation in the south, concluded early Thursday morning (Israel time) after about five and a half hours.

The Cabinet ministers were instructed not to provide interviews to the media regarding the content of the discussion, in which they were updated on possible scenarios following the escalation.

The Cabinet meeting was supposed to take place on Wednesday morning, but was postponed to the evening hours to allow for the participation of IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eizenkot, who cut short his visit to New York following the latest developments.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu held a security assessment in the Gaza Division on Wednesday afternoon, with the participation of the defense minister, the deputy chief of staff, the head of the National Security Council, the head of the Shin Bet and senior security officials.

Afterward, the prime minister met with heads of local authorities in the Gaza vicinity.

Prime Minister Netanyahu said at the end of the security assessment that "Israel views with great severity the attacks on it along the fence, in the Gaza vicinity, on Be'er Sheva - everywhere. I said at the beginning of this week's cabinet meeting that if these attacks do not stop, we will stop them. I want to tell you today - Israel will act with great force."

The tensions in Gaza escalated overnight Tuesday after rockets were fired into Israeli territory.

One of them, launched towards the sea, fell off the coast of Gush Dan. Another rocket hit a residential building in Be'er Sheva. The family members, who suffered from anxiety, were saved a few moments after the mother rushed her children with her into a bomb shelter.