Attack on Majdal Shams leaves injuries, Israeli army says
The Israeli military has said that “injuries were reported” following a hit by a projectile from Lebanon into the area of Majdal Shams, in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
A barrage of 30 rockets were fired from Lebanon at northern Israel earlier, the military claimed.
Medics from the Magen David Adam (MDA) emergency services said that they are treating “nine casualties in critical condition, aged 10 to 20 years old, and other casualties taken to local medical clinics”.
MDA medics said the projectile hit a football pitch.
Hezbollah denies responsibility for strike in Israel-occupied Golan
A senior official from Lebanon’s Hezbollah group, Mohammad Afif, has told Reuters that the group was not responsible for an attack on Majdal Shams in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
Netanyahu holds security consultations after Majdal Shams attack
Netanyahu is holding security consultations with his military secretary, Roman Gofman, after an attack hit the town of Majdal Shams in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
The office of the prime minister added in a statement on X that Netanyahu will later hold a security situation assessment with the heads of the defence establishment.
Majdal Shams attack could be tipping point in war between Hezbollah and Israel
Hezbollah is denying any responsibility for the rocket attack that targeted a football pitch where children were playing in Majdal Shams.
It did, however, claim responsibility for a number of attacks in the Syrian Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, but it said they were targeting military barracks.
The very fact that Hezbollah denied a very serious incident – in fact, this is the most serious since confrontations between the Israeli military and Hezbollah began nearly 10 months ago – signals that the group is not interested in changing the unwritten rules of engagement in this war of attrition.
The big question now is how Israel will respond. Civilians have been killed before but never so many in a single incident, so it remains to be seen if this will lead to an escalation. Some say this incident could be a tipping point in the ongoing conflict between these longtime enemies.
Israeli army claims Hezbollah behind hit on Majdal Shams
The military has issued a statement on its official Telegram channel saying that according to a “situational and the intelligence in our possession, the rocket launch towards Majdal Shams was carried out by” Hezbollah.
On Majdal Shams: ‘Coming hours will be decisive’
Gideon Levy, a columnist for the Haaretz daily, has said that the area is going through a “very explosive and dangerous moment” and “now things can really get out of control”.
“Israel will have to react as Israel thinks. And there will be a reaction by Hezbollah. Then, we are in a regional war. We are in a sensitive moment”, he told Al Jazeera, speaking from Tel Aviv.
Hezbollah has categorically denied it was behind the hit. Levy said that Hezbollah is doing everything it can to minimise the damage because it is not interested in a war.
“People understand that it’s a dramatic moment. We don’t know what will be next. There is a lot of uncertainty. The coming hours will be decisive,” he said. “I don’t see Israel ignoring this incident.”
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