Less than 24 hours after an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon, a tragic rocket attack struck a football field in Majdal Shams, located in the Golan Heights, resulting in at least 10 fatalities and 20 injuries, according to Israeli authorities. Israeli military spokesperson Daniel Hagari reported that children were among the casualties and accused the Lebanese group Hezbollah of orchestrating the attack, a claim that Hezbollah firmly denied. Hagari stated: “Our intelligence is clear. Hezbollah is responsible for the murder of innocent children.” He added that Israel would prepare a response against Hezbollah: “We will act.”
In response, Hezbollah quickly refuted these allegations and declared in a statement that they “categorically deny the accusations of targeting Majdal Shams.” The attack comes amid ongoing crossfire between Hezbollah and Israeli forces since October 8, when Israel commenced its military operations in Gaza. Hezbollah has indicated that their attacks are acts of solidarity with the Palestinian people, heightening fears of a larger regional conflict.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced that he would shorten his trip to the United States and return home as swiftly as possible following reports of the disaster in Majdal Shams. In a statement, his office said: “Immediately upon learning of the disaster in Majdal Shams, Prime Minister Netanyahu ordered to expedite his return as soon as possible.”
The Lebanese government called for an “immediate cessation of fighting on all fronts” and condemned attacks on civilians. According to Al Jazeera reporter Hamdah Salhut, this incident is one of the deadliest in the current conflict and comes at a time when fears of escalation are rising.
Gideon Levy, a columnist for the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, warned that the situation could spiral completely out of control. “This is a dramatic moment. We do not know what will happen next. There is a lot of uncertainty,” he stated.
However, political analyst Ori Goldberg assessed that it is unlikely the attack will lead to an “all-out war” between Israel and Hezbollah. “Both sides do not want total war; this has been made clear,” he noted.
The attack on the football field followed an Israeli strike in Lebanon that killed four fighters in Kfar Kila, at least one of whom was affiliated with Hezbollah. The Israeli military reported that their aircraft targeted a military structure belonging to Hezbollah after identifying fighters in the building.
The Golan Heights, which Israel occupied in 1967 during the Six-Day War, is considered Syrian territory, and many residents are Syrian Druze, some of whom hold Israeli citizenship.