On July 27, 2024, a devastating rocket attack struck a football field in Majdal Shams, a Druze-populated town in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, killing at least 11 people, mostly children and teenagers, and injuring over 30 others. The attack, described as the deadliest on Israeli civilians since October 7, 2023, has dramatically escalated tensions in the region.Israeli authorities quickly blamed the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah for the attack, with Foreign Minister Israel Katz stating that Hezbollah had ‘crossed all red lines’. However, Hezbollah has categorically denied any involvement in the incident. The Israeli military reported that approximately 40 rockets were fired from Lebanon, with at least one hitting Majdal Shams.In response to the attack, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cut short his visit to Washington and called for emergency security consultations. Israeli Defense Forces Spokesperson Daniel Hagari warned that Israel is prepared to take action against Hezbollah, stating, ‘We will prepare a response against Hezbollah, we will complete our assessments and we will act’.This incident comes amid ongoing cross-border exchanges between Israel and Hezbollah since the outbreak of the Gaza war in October 2023. The attack has raised fears of a potential broader regional conflict, with some Israeli officials, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, calling for more aggressive action against Hezbollah.The international community is closely watching the situation as tensions continue to escalate. The attack on civilians, particularly children, has drawn widespread condemnation, with Israeli President Herzog emphasizing that such actions make no distinction between ‘children and adults, soldiers and civilians, Jews and Muslims, Druzes and Christians’.
Key points
- A rocket attack on a football field in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights killed at least 11 people, mostly children and teenagers.
- Israel blamed Hezbollah for the attack, which Hezbollah denied.
- The incident has escalated tensions between Israel and Lebanon, with Israeli officials promising retaliation.
- Fears of a broader regional conflict have increased due to this attack.
Contradictions👾There are slight discrepancies in the reported number of casualties, with some sources reporting 9 or 10 deaths, while others report 11.
👾While most sources state that Israel blamed Hezbollah for the attack, Hezbollah has denied any involvement.
