- Thousands mourn children killed in Golan Heights strike
- The White House and Israel attributed the attack, which killed 12 people, to the Iran-backed Hezbollah, although Hezbollah denied responsibility
- Saturday’s attack, which struck a football pitch in Majdal Shams, was the deadliest in the region since October
- The victims were primarily Druze, with 10 of the 12 victims aged between 10 and 16
- Netanyahu vowed that Hezbollah would “pay a heavy price” and is back in Israel after cutting short his trip to the US
Thousands mourn children killed in Golan Heights strike
Thousands gathered on Sunday in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights for the funerals of children and young people killed in a rocket strike. Druze community members in Majdal Shams carried caskets and expressed anger towards government officials. The White House and Israel attributed the attack, which killed 12 people, to the Iran-backed Hezbollah, although Hezbollah denied responsibility.
World leaders condemned the attack and sought to reduce tensions to prevent a war between Israel and Hezbollah. In retaliation, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) struck Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, and Hezbollah attacked two Israeli military bases.
Cross-border fire has intensified since Hezbollah began launching rockets following the October 7 attack, which led to Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. Hezbollah claims its actions support Palestinians.
Saturday’s attack, which struck a football pitch in Majdal Shams, was the deadliest in the region since October. The victims were primarily Druze, with 10 of the 12 victims aged between 10 and 16.
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, who vowed that Hezbollah would “pay a heavy price”, arrived in Israel on Sunday after cutting short his trip to the US. He planned to hold a meeting with his military chiefs to assess the situation and approve operational plans.
Hezbollah denied it had anything to do with the strike, but had earlier on Saturday claimed responsibility for four other attacks, including one on a military base around 3km (2 miles) away.
At least 12 people, including children, were killed in an airstrike on a football ground in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights on Saturday, according to Israeli authorities. #Israel #Hezbollah #airstrikes https://t.co/3m3pXjZDnQ pic.twitter.com/P2pbVPfRiW
— Prudence Journal (@prudencejournal) July 28, 2024