Tragic Rocket Attack Claims Young Lives in Israeli-Occupied Golan Heights; Escalating Tensions with Hezbollah

This happens the day after a rocket attack hit a football field in the Druze town of Majdal Shams on the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. The death toll had risen to twelve by Sunday morning, all between the ages of 10 and 20.

The rocket likely originated from Lebanon. Hezbollah has denied that the group is behind the attack.

– Last night, Israel’s air force targeted a number of Hezbollah terror sites deep within Lebanese territory and in southern Lebanon, including weapons depots and terrorist infrastructure in the areas of Chabriha, Borj El Chmali, Beqaa, Kfarkela, Rab El Thalathine, Khiam, Tayr Harfa, a military statement reported by the news agency Reuters said.

According to Admiral Daniel Hagari, spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), expert analyses indicate that the attack on the Golan Heights was carried out with an Iranian-manufactured Falaq-1 rocket.

Earlier in the day, Hezbollah announced that the group had fired such a rocket, targeting an Israeli military headquarters.

– A higher price than ever

In a phone call with the leader of the Druze community in Majdal Shams, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Hezbollah would pay a high price for the attack that killed the children, a higher price than they have ever paid before.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz told the website Axios that full-scale war with Hezbollah and Lebanon is approaching following Saturday’s attack, and Netanyahu is canceling the rest of his visit to the USA to hurry home.

– The Hezbollah attack today crosses all red lines, and our response will be commensurate, Katz said.

IDF spokesperson Hagari confirmed that they have intelligence showing Hezbollah fired at least 30 rockets at Israel, including the rocket that hit the football field. He said it was the deadliest attack on Israel since the Hamas attack in October last year and that they were in the process of preparing a retaliatory strike.

The Lebanese government, which has no control over Hezbollah, condemned all acts of violence and attacks on civilians on Saturday, which they call clear violations of international law, and demanded an immediate halt to all hostilities.

Condemnation

– I condemn today’s rocket attack on a playground in Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights, said Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide (Ap) in a message on X late Saturday.

– Attacking civilians is unacceptable and prohibited under humanitarian law. I urge all parties to de-escalate a situation that could lead to a major war on Israel’s northern front, he continued.

The White House stated that the USA supports Israel’s efforts to stop attacks on its northern border.

– Our support for Israel’s security is steadfast against all Iranian-supported terrorist groups, including Lebanese Hezbollah, a spokesperson for the National Security Council said.

UN calls for calm

The UN special envoy to Lebanon and the UN peacekeeping force (UNIFIL) also commented on the attack.

– Civilians must be protected at all times, said the statement from special envoy Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert and UNIFIL commander Aroldo Lazaro.

The two urged the parties to exercise “maximum restraint” and to cease ongoing and increased shelling of each other.

– This could ignite a larger conflict that could engulf the entire region in a disaster greater than we can fathom, they wrote.

Annexed by Israel

The Syrian Golan Heights were occupied by Israel during the 1967 war and annexed in 1981. However, the international community has never recognized the annexation.

The Druze are an Arabic-speaking minority living in Israel, Syria, and Lebanon, and their religion is considered to be a branch of Shia Islam, but with strong elements from Christianity and mysticism. The Druze in Israel have a good relationship with the state of Israel.

Israel and Hezbollah have been shooting at each other almost daily since the war in Gaza began on October 7, and in recent weeks, Israeli airstrikes and Hezbollah’s rocket and drone attacks have increased and reached further into both Lebanon and Israel.

Since last October, over 450 people have been killed in Israeli attacks in Lebanon, of which around 90 are civilians. In Israel, as of Saturday, 21 soldiers and 13 civilians have been killed by Hezbollah, and many fear that the situation may escalate into full-scale war.

Read also: Kamala’s Vice Presidents

Read also: How to avoid salmonella