Hanna: Strategic decision from Israel

GAZA CITY (CNN) -- As Israeli military forces launched attacks on Palestinian targets Monday -- including Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's guards' residences in Gaza City -- CNN's Mike Hanna filed this report from Jerusalem.

HANNA: Shortly before sunset, Israeli helicopters fired a number of missiles at a target in Gaza City. The missiles fell near the compound of Palestinian Authority leader Yasser Arafat. According to Palestinian security sources, two of Mr. Arafat's helicopters were destroyed in the attack. We just heard from hospital sources who say that more than 30 people have been injured in the attack.

According to a hospital spokesman, 15 of these were civilian Palestinians, and 17 were Palestinian police officers. The extent of the injuries are not known at this particular point.

Israel says this can be interpreted as a signal, an indication that it expects the Palestinian Authority leader to crack down on militant groups within the Palestinian territories. All this is in response to a series of suicide bombings over the weekend, which left a number of Israelis killed and which upped the heat in this ongoing conflict in the region.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is expected to address the nation Monday night, delivering a message to the Israeli people. After, the Israeli cabinet is going to be meeting in what is expected to be a lengthy session. Israeli government sources say a decision will be made during that cabinet meeting as to exactly what the Israeli government does from here on.

A strategic decision, says one source, will be taken as to whether Arafat can be considered a partner in the peace process, or whether there is no hope whatsoever in continuing along with this process.

The Israeli strike has come under immense Palestinian criticism. One chief negotiator has said it fuels the situation; it makes it more difficult for the Palestinian Authority to get control of the situation and to take action against those who have been planning and carrying out attacks against Israeli civilians.