Hezbollah Rocket Attack Kills 11 in Israel, Prompting Fear of War With Lebanon

July 27, 2024 TruthUSA

Israeli adviser Dmitri Gendelman described the attack as a significant escalation and promised a strong response.

A tragic rocket attack on a soccer field in the Golan Heights controlled by Israel claimed the lives of 11 individuals, mostly children, according to Israeli authorities. They attributed the attack to Hezbollah and vowed to retaliate against the Iran-backed Lebanese group.

Hezbollah, designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, denied any involvement in the strike, which marked the deadliest incident in Israeli or Israeli-controlled territory since the outbreak of the Gaza conflict. This conflict was initiated by a deadly incursion by the Hamas terror group that resulted in the deaths of hundreds of Israelis.

In a post on Telegram shortly before 7 p.m. local time, Dmitri Gendelman, an adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, reported that the rocket strike killed nine individuals and injured over 30.

“A rocket launched by Hezbollah hit children playing in a playground in the Golan Heights town of Majdal Shams. As of now, nine Israeli children and teenagers have lost their lives, and more than 30 are wounded,” stated Mr. Gendelman in the post.

Subsequently, the official Israeli government channel on X updated the death toll to 11.

“Hezbollah brutally murdered 11 Israeli children from northern Israel who were playing soccer. There are no words,” read the statement.

Mr. Gendelman denounced the attack as a significant escalation and assured that it would be met with a resolute response.

“This is a grave escalation, demonstrating aggression by the terrorist organization Hezbollah, and Israel will respond firmly—we will take all necessary actions to restore security along the northern border,” he affirmed.

Hezbollah and Israel have been exchanging fire in areas near the Lebanese-Israeli border since the outbreak of hostilities in Gaza. The conflict has raised concerns about a full-scale war between the heavily armed adversaries.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz informed Axios reporter Barak Ravid that the attack “crossed all red lines” and indicated that “we are nearing a moment of all-out war against Hezbollah and Lebanon.”

“We will face consequences, but in the end, Nasrallah and Hezbollah will be defeated, Lebanon will suffer severe damage, and we will restore peace and security to the residents of the north,” Mr. Katz added, according to the reporter.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was deeply saddened by the incident and expressed his “heartfelt condolences on behalf of the entire people of Israel to the families of the victims and the entire Druze community,” as stated by Mr. Gendelman in a follow-up statement on his Telegram channel.

“The Prime Minister emphasized that Israel will not leave this deadly attack unanswered, and Hezbollah will pay the highest price, unlike anything it has faced before,” he wrote.

Hezbollah released a written statement denying any responsibility.

“The Islamic Resistance had no involvement in the incident and categorically refutes all false accusations,” the group stated, as reported by Reuters.

Prior to this incident, Hezbollah had announced multiple rocket attacks targeting Israeli military positions in other locations from Lebanon.

The Israeli government, in a statement, revealed that the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) had identified the source of the rocket attack and squarely blamed Hezbollah for it.

“Based on analysis from the IDF’s operational systems, the rocket launch in the center of Majdal Shams originated from an area north of the village of Chebaa in southern Lebanon. According to reliable intelligence possessed by the IDF, Hezbollah is responsible for the attack,” the statement explained.

Mr. Netanyahu, scheduled to return from the United States to Israel overnight on Saturday, decided to expedite his flight and convene his security cabinet upon arrival.

Hezbollah is the most dominant of a network of Iran-backed groups across the Middle East that have joined forces in support of their Palestinian ally Hamas since October.

Iran-backed Iraqi groups and the Houthis of Yemen have also targeted Israel, while Hamas has launched rocket assaults on Israel from Lebanon as well.

Andrea Tenenti, spokesperson for the UNIFIL peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon, informed Reuters that the force commander is liaising with authorities in Lebanon and Israel “to ascertain the details of the Majdal Shams incident and ensure calm prevails.”

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