The meeting of the Israeli war cabinet has concluded in the aftermath of the bloody attack in the Golan Heights.
The Israeli war cabinet – which lasted at least four hours – decided on a “limited but significant” military response to the massacre at Majdal Shams, while plans for strikes are expected to be approved in the coming hours.
Israel – Hezbollah: The attack that killed 12 children, the red lines, and the preparation for total war
Abstentions
Additionally, it authorized Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to decide, while the Israeli Prime Minister’s partners, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir abstained from the vote.
During the meeting, the issue of hostages was also discussed, but a separate meeting will be scheduled to focus on Israel’s next steps regarding this issue.
Reassuring messages
On the Lebanese side, Foreign Minister Abdallah Bouhabib, according to the Times of Israel, stated that “Beirut has received ‘reassuring’ messages from the relevant countries that Israel’s retaliatory actions for yesterday’s deadly rocket attack on Majdal Shams will be ‘limited,’ as will Hezbollah’s subsequent response.
Bouhabib stated earlier today on the Saudi-owned news channel Al Hadath that “Hezbollah is ready to withdraw beyond the Litani River – which extends about 29 kilometers north of the Israel-Lebanon border – if Israel stops its ‘violations.’
Final child identified
At the same time, officials have identified the last child killed in the deadly attack.
This is 11-year-old Jifara Ibrahim, who had been missing since the strike that killed him and 11 other children.
Attack in the Golan Heights: Mourning at the funerals of the 12 children “Our hearts ache”