TEL AVIV, Israel: A rocket fired from Lebanon hit a football pitch in Majdal Shams, an Arab town in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights, on Saturday, killing 11 youngsters in what the Israeli army described as the “deadliest attack on Israeli civilians since October 7.” The victims, aged between 10 and 20, were struck while playing soccer.
The Israeli military accused Hezbollah, the Lebanese militant group, of launching the deadly rocket. This attack followed an Israeli strike that killed four Hezbollah fighters in southern Lebanon, prompting Hezbollah to launch a series of retaliatory rocket attacks against the Golan Heights and northern Israel.
Military spokesman Daniel Hagari confirmed the casualties and stated that 19 others were wounded in the Majdal Shams strike. Rear Admiral Hagari emphasized the severity of the attack and announced that Israel would respond to Hezbollah’s actions.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who cut short his visit to the United States, vowed that Israel would not let the attack go unanswered. He warned that Hezbollah would “pay a heavy price,” suggesting significant retaliation. Israeli President Isaac Herzog also condemned Hezbollah, accusing the group of “brutally attacking and murdering children whose only crime was playing soccer.”
Despite the accusations, Hezbollah denied any involvement in the strike. The group stated that its military wing, the Islamic Resistance, had no connection to the incident.
The rocket was part of a larger barrage fired from Lebanon, which struck multiple locations in the Golan Heights. Emergency services, including ambulances, helicopters, and mobile intensive care units, were deployed to the scene. Paramedic Idan Avshalom described the chaotic scene, with injured people lying on the grass and objects on fire. Israeli police and army bomb disposal experts secured the area and searched for additional rocket remnants to prevent further risks to the public.
The rocket attack followed an Israeli strike in the Lebanese village of Kfar Kila that killed four Hezbollah fighters. Hezbollah has been involved in near-daily cross-border exchanges of fire with the Israeli army since the war in Gaza began last October. According to an AFP tally, the ongoing violence has claimed at least 527 lives in Lebanon, including 104 civilians and numerous fighters. On the Israeli side, 18 soldiers and 24 civilians have been killed.
The conflict in Gaza escalated after Hamas launched an attack on October 7, resulting in the deaths of 1,197 people in Israel, primarily civilians. In response, Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has resulted in at least 39,258 Palestinian deaths mostly women and children, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. The conflict has significantly impacted both sides, deepening the humanitarian crisis in the region.
The rocket strike in Majdal Shams marks a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, highlighting the fragile and volatile situation in the region. With both sides preparing for further actions, the prospect of peace remains elusive, and the cycle of violence continues to take a heavy toll on civilians.
