Hezbollah rocket kills 10 at children's sports field in Golan Heights
At least 10 people were killed, and around 30 were injured in a Hezbollah rocket attack on a sports field in the Golan Heights, according to Israeli media. Among the victims are children. Earlier, the Israeli army conducted an attack on a school in the Gaza Strip.
2:56 PM EDT, July 27, 2024
The attack occurred in the city of Majdal Shams. The rocket fell near a sports field where children were playing. Media reports provide varying estimates of the dead and injured. At least 10 people are confirmed dead, and around 30 are injured. The condition of many of the injured is severe, so the death toll may rise.
The Israeli army is investigating why the rocket was not intercepted.
Earlier on Saturday, Israel conducted an attack in Lebanon, which killed four militants, at least one of whom belonged to Hezbollah. The Israeli army claims the shelling aimed to destroy "military structures" belonging to the terrorist organization. Hezbollah responded with several attacks, including one using Katyusha rockets.
A Hezbollah representative told Reuters that the group denies launching an attack on the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
The Golan Heights is a disputed territory bordering Israel, Syria, and Lebanon. Most of it is under Israeli control, although parts (including Majdal Shams) were occupied in violation of international law. Syria, its allies, and the international community consider Israel's occupation illegal.
The Golan Heights was recognized as Israeli territory by the U.S. administration of President Donald Trump in 2019. Other countries, including Poland, opposed this recognition.
Minister: Hezbollah crossed red lines
Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz said he spoke with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the attack. "There is no doubt that Hezbollah has crossed all red lines," he told the media. "We are facing full-scale war," he said.
He also argued that Israel has "full support" from the United States and Europe.
"A rocket fired by Hezbollah hit a sports field where a children's game was taking place. The attack on the Druze city of Majdal Shams in northern Israel killed at least nine children," stated the profile of the Israeli embassy in Poland.
Israeli attack on a school
The situation in the region is very tense. Hamas reported that the Israeli army earlier conducted an airstrike on a school building in the Gaza Strip, killing at least 30 people and injuring over 100. The school was supposed to serve as a shelter for displaced persons.
Israel claims that the school housed a Hamas command center, from where attacks were planned and where weapons were stored. The army argues that the building was observed before the attack to avoid harm to civilians.
