A rocket attack on a football field in the Israeli town of Majdal Shams killed 12 young people and wounded 18, raising tensions between Israel and Hezbollah. Israeli authorities accused Hezbollah of launching the rocket from Lebanon, targeting the field where youngsters between the ages of 10 and 20 were playing. While Hezbollah vehemently denied any involvement, Israeli officials declared a severe response, warning of potential escalation.
The incident, described as the deadliest attack on Israeli civilians since the Gaza conflict, led to widespread condemnation and calls for retaliation. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was visiting the United States, cut short his trip to return home and convene a security cabinet meeting. He vowed a heavy price for the attack, stating, “Hezbollah will pay a heavy price, the kind it has thus far not paid.”
Israel’s military chief spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, characterized the attack as a significant escalation, stating, “There is no doubt that Hezbollah has crossed all the red lines here, and the response will reflect that.” Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz echoed this sentiment, warning of the possibility of an all-out war.
The rocket attack follows a series of cross-border exchanges between Israel and Hezbollah. Earlier on Saturday, Hezbollah claimed the deaths of three of its fighters in Israeli airstrikes on Lebanese villages. Israel, in turn, confirmed targeting a Hezbollah arms depot in the border village of Kfar Kila, asserting that militants were present during the airstrike.
In response to the airstrikes, Hezbollah reported conducting 10 separate attacks on Israeli military posts using rockets and explosive drones. Notably, Hezbollah claimed to have struck the army command of the Haramoun Brigade in Maaleh Golani with Katyusha rockets, followed by a subsequent attack on the same post using a short-range Falaq rocket.
The escalation of violence between Israel and Hezbollah has raised international concern, with calls for de-escalation and a return to diplomacy. The immediate aftermath of the attack remains uncertain, with fears of a potential escalation into a wider conflict.
