Response looms after deadly Hezbollah attack on Golan sports field

The Israeli army is preparing a response to Hezbollah’s attack on a sports field in the Golan Heights, which resulted in the deaths of at least 10 children and teenagers. Representatives of the Israeli administration, in unofficial talks, say that Hezbollah's actions could lead to a "dramatic turn" in the region's situation.

On Saturday afternoon, a rocket fell on a sports field in Majdal Shams in the disputed Golan Heights. According to media reports, a children's match was taking place there. At least 10 people aged 10 to 20 were killed, and about 30 people were injured.

According to the Israeli army, Hezbollah is behind the attack, which the terrorist organization denies. "Hezbollah lies and denies responsibility for the incident. Our intelligence data indicates that Hezbollah is responsible for the killing of innocent children," said army spokesperson Daniel Hagari.

"We are preparing a response against Hezbollah," he added. "This is another display of Hezbollah's brutality. This is a very serious event, and we will take appropriate actions," he assured.

Foreign Minister Israel Katz said that 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 a full-scale war," he said.

Members of the Israeli administration expressed similar sentiments in unofficial discussions. "Events in the north will lead to a dramatic turn in the fighting in this area," one of Netanyahu’s delegation members, who is in Washington, told Channel 12.

The Kan portal quoted a high-ranking official as saying, "The disaster in Majdal Shams may signal a change in the direction of the war." Another security official said, "This is an incident that we will not ignore. The response will be serious."

Netanyahu, who is on a delegation in Washington, is returning to Israel. Due to the attack, he will depart the United States five hours earlier than planned, at 7:00 PM Eastern Time.

The Golan Heights, where the attack took place, is a disputed territory. In the 1960s, Israel occupied some of the areas belonging to Syria. Damascus considers these territories unlawfully occupied. The international community also does not recognize the Golan Heights as belonging to Israel. The United States, however, deviated from this stance in 2019 when the Trump administration recognized the Golan Heights as part of Israel. This move was met with criticism from countries such as Poland.

Majdal Shams has over 10,000 residents, primarily Druze, most of whom hold Syrian citizenship. Only about 20 percent of the residents have Israeli citizenship.