Israel announces harsh reaction to lethal rocket attack from Lebanon
On Saturday afternoon, a rocket fired from Lebanon struck the soccer field of the Druze village of Majdal Shams. At least twelve children and teenagers aged ten to sixteen were killed, according to Israeli reports, as they were playing football.
Israeli army spokesperson Daniel Hagari stated on Sunday night that this was the attack against Israeli civilians with the most fatalities since October 7. The Israeli rescue service Magen David Adom reported that thirty more teenagers were injured in the attack. Some of them were seriously hurt.
"The Saturday massacre represents the crossing of all red lines by Hezbollah," declared the Israeli Foreign Ministry. The fired rocket, they claimed, was an Iranian rocket. Hezbollah is "a terrorist organization that deliberately targets civilians," the ministry added.
According to Hagari's statements, a Falak-1 rocket of Iranian origin with a 50 kg explosive warhead was used in the attack. This model is "exclusively owned by Hezbollah."
Hezbollah had previously announced that they had carried out a total of nine attacks within two hours on Israeli targets as a response to the killing of four of their fighters. However, the militia denied responsibility for the rocket strike on Majdal Shams. "The Islamic Resistance has no connection to this incident," Hezbollah declared, referring to their military wing.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant declared on Sunday, "we will strike the enemy with all our might." Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel would not leave the "murderous attack" unanswered, and Hezbollah would pay "a price they have never paid before." Netanyahu cut short his visit to the USA and returned to Israel for a Security Cabinet meeting.
According to reports from Lebanese security sources, an Israeli drone fired two rockets at the village of Tarajjah in the east of Lebanon just a few hours after the attack. A hangar and a house were reportedly hit, but no casualties were reported.
Since the start of the war between Israel and the radical Islamic Hamas in the Gaza Strip, which erupted on October 7, Hezbollah has been firing rockets from Lebanon almost daily into northern Israel. For months, tens of thousands of evacuees have been unable to return to their homes there.
According to US Foreign Minister Blinken, "everything points to" Hezbollah having fired the rocket on Saturday. "We stand with Israel's right to protect its citizens from terrorist attacks," Blinken said. Previously, the US government had declared its support for Israel's security to be "unwavering and unwavering."
Greens Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) condemned the lethal rocket attack. "That children and teenagers were killed who just wanted to play football is appalling," Baerbock said in an online statement. She demanded an end to Hezbollah's attacks on Israel. Given the feared expansion of the conflict in the region, she urged "cool-headed action."
Iran threatened Israel on Sunday with "consequences" of a possible attack on Lebanon. If Israel attacked Lebanon, it would be responsible for "unforeseen consequences and reactions to such foolish behavior," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani.
- Following the rocket attack in Majdal Shams, Israel expressed its intent to respond strongly, with Prime Minister Benzion Netanyahu stating that Hezbollah would pay a price they've never faced before.
- The attack on the soccer field in Majdal Shams, which left twelve children dead and thirty more injured, was claimed by Hezbollah to have no connection.
- The Israeli Foreign Ministry accused Hezbollah of crossing all red lines after the rocket attack, labeling the militia as a terrorist organization that deliberately targets civilians.
- The Iranian-origin Falak-1 rocket with a 50 kg explosive warhead was used in the Majdal Shams attack, according to Israeli army spokesperson Daniel Hagari.
- On Sunday, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced that Israel would retaliate with full force, echoing Netanyahu's sentiments that Hezbollah would not go unpunished.
- The Hezbollah military wing, known as the Hebrew Red Star, had previously claimed responsibility for nine attacks on Israeli targets as a response to the killing of four of their fighters.
- Despite the ongoing rocket attacks from Lebanon into northern Israel, AA reported that tens of thousands of evacuees have been unable to return home since the conflict began between Israel and Hamas in the Golan Heights on October 7.
- In response to the lethal rocket attack, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock condemned Hezbollah and called for an end to their attacks on Israel, urging cool-headed action to prevent further escalation in the region.
