Last night, terrorists attacked 6 targets in Paris, including a restaurant, a concert hall, and a sports stadium, killing 128 (recognized so far) and wounding some 350 others.

In the concert hall alone, the attackers stood on balconies and indiscriminately picked off 100 people below. The American metal band playing there somehow got out of the venue alive.

Two bombs were detonated around the soccer stadium where the French national team played Germany while the nation’s president looked on. Heard in a video of the game in progress is a loud boom of the first explosion nearby, and players stall in confusion.

The restaurant, a popular Cambodian eatery, was shot up in front, leaving the entry section a mess of bodies and blood and glass.

The city immediately responded with panic, confusion, official statements, and horror. In time, residents also responded in courage as locals poured out into the streets to express solidarity with their city and defiance of the attackers.

And in time, eight attackers were dead.

During it all, the world watched events unfold on social media as tweets from and about Paris ballooned, and Facebook feeds filled with news nuggets and images about the developing situation. And from some in the Middle East, celebratory words about the violence and murders was broadcasted as well.

Inevitably, bystanders and survivors mentioned a few of the anticipated images from these incidents- several AK carrying murderers yelling ” Allahu Akbar!” before opening fire on a crowd; a Syrian passport found by the body of another taken out by police.

In the aftermath of the attacks, as police and army units searched for potential fleeing shooters and remaining threats, as Parisian assessed the situation in fear and horror, the claim of responsibility emerged, a communiqué in Arabic, English, and French from the Islamic State’s telegram account- much like those sent two weeks ago following the destruction of a Russian jet and 240 lives.

The ISIS message called the attacks “first of the storm”.

The attacks were typical terrorism. Incidental. In surprise. Unexpected. indiscriminate. This time, “In response to Syria.”

Sadly, the price of opposition against terror comes like this.

France has been the most assertive partner of the United States in trying to fight ISIS and contain its territory grabs in Iraq and Syria. France was the first country to join U.S. forces in air strikes in Iraq last year, and is the only European country providing air strikes against Islamic State fighters in Syria with the U.S. France has been assertive in trying to grapple with that growing organization.

With the flood of Syrian refugees into Europe and many national borders there somewhat porous at this time, European hospitality faces the inevitability of allowing a few bad apples in with good- which in modern times, often results in unexpected destruction, violence, and deaths.

“Enemies do not fight on your timetable.”

Vigilance is warranted.