The attack has significantly heightened tensions in the Israeli-Lebanese border region. Israel has announced that it will respond with the utmost severity.
Mourners surround the coffins of the twelve children killed in Majdal Shams on Sunday.
Early on Saturday evening, a rocket presumably launched by the Hezbollah militia struck a soccer field in the small town of Majdal Shams on the Golan Heights, resulting in the deaths of twelve children and young people aged ten to twenty. Photos depict children’s bodies mutilated, while videos capture the horrifying scene of relatives rushing toward the site. Since October 7, no other attack on Israel has resulted in so many civilian casualties. This incident marks a turning point not only for Majdal Shams but potentially for all of Israel.
On that night, Herzi Halevi, Israel’s Chief of Staff, visited Majdal Shams and promised a “very, very clear reaction” to the attack. Meanwhile, Hezbollah denied any involvement, asserting that an Israeli interceptor missile struck the football field, not one of its rockets.
According to the Israeli military, forensic evidence indicates that a Falaq-1 rocket, of Iranian origin, was responsible. Only Hezbollah possesses such rockets. Israel claims the missile was fired from north of the southern Lebanese village of Chebaa. While this information has yet to be independently verified, there is substantial evidence suggesting Hezbollah is accountable for the tragic deaths of the children in Majdal Shams.
The rocket hit a football field in the small town of Majdal Shams.
One day after the Hamas massacre, the Lebanese Shiite militia began targeting northern Israel with drones and rockets. Israel retaliated with airstrikes and precise assassinations of high-ranking commanders within the Iran-aligned militia. While both sides have consistently intensified their assaults, neither Israel nor Hezbollah has escalated the border conflict. This may now be changing.
Numerous Israeli politicians, including Foreign Minister Israel Katz, have declared that the situation has become intolerable, and Israel must take decisive action against Hezbollah. The tragedy in Majdal Shams could serve as a catalyst for a larger war in northern Israel. A confrontation with the heavily armed Shiite militia could result in significant casualties on both sides of the border and has the potential to ignite conflict throughout the region.
“Hezbollah will pay a high price”
The town of Majdal Shams lies at the base of Mount Hermon, the highest peak in the Golan Heights, which Israel has occupied since 1967 and annexed in 1981. Its 11,000 residents are predominantly Druze. Although most members of this Arab minority are well integrated and fiercely loyal to the Israeli state, many of the Druze in the Golan refuse to accept Israeli citizenship, identifying themselves as Syrians and expressing support for President Bashar al-Assad.
The Druze community, comprising around 1.6 percent of the Israeli population, has called for better protection from the Israeli government following the attack. “A proper state cannot allow its citizens and residents to be constantly harmed,” stated Sheikh Muwafak Tarif, the spiritual leader of the Druze, late Saturday evening.
Sheikh Muwafak Tarif (center) on Saturday evening in Majdal Shams.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was in the USA at the time of the attack, spoke with Muwafak Tarif over the phone that night and assured the Druze leader that Hezbollah would face severe consequences for the assault. Due to the attack, Netanyahu is returning to Israel earlier than planned, and he is expected to arrive around midday on Sunday. His office has announced that he will immediately convene the security cabinet upon his return.
Is a major war approaching?
It appears certain that the Israeli military will significantly escalate its operations against Hezbollah. However, security specialist Eitan Shamir doubts that Israel currently desires a full-scale war with Hezbollah. “The army must have sufficient ammunition and personnel positioned in the north for a war. For that, Israel relies on the USA for support,” stated Shamir, who is the head of the Israeli Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies, in an interview.
Historically, the United States has consistently sought to prevent escalation along the Lebanese-Israeli border. Washington has aimed to resolve tensions through diplomatic agreements. Despite the tragic events of Saturday, the fundamental interests of the United States remain unchanged.
A grieving family with the portrait of a girl killed on Saturday in Majdal Shams.
Eitan Shamir notes that it is unclear whether Israel possesses enough ammunition and sufficiently prepared soldiers in the north, while almost half of its divisions remain stationed in the Gaza Strip. “Israel will likely try to target strategic weapons depots and key Hezbollah leaders,” Shamir states. “The attack will probably occur in a symbolic location.” Dahiya, a Shiite suburb of Beirut known as a Hezbollah stronghold, is a likely target.
How Hezbollah would respond to such an attack remains an open question. Despite both sides currently avoiding escalation, the risk of stumbling into a significant confrontation continues to increase.
Attack on a school in Gaza
Meanwhile, intense clashes continue between the Israeli military and the Islamist Hamas in the Gaza Strip. According to the Hamas-administered Ministry of Health, at least thirty individuals were killed in an airstrike targeting a school in Deir al-Balah, among them children and women. Israeli sources contend that the attack was directed at a Hamas command center within the school. This information remains unverifiable.
At the same time, ceasefire negotiations in the Gaza Strip are ongoing. On Sunday, reports indicated that Israeli officials met with representatives from the United States, Egypt, and Qatar in Rome to negotiate an agreement with Hamas concerning the release of Israeli hostages. Recently, Prime Minister Netanyahu appeared to tighten the conditions for such an agreement.
The attack has massively increased tensions in the Israeli-Lebanese border region. Israel has already announced that it will respond with the utmost severity.
Early on Saturday evening, a rocket presumably fired by the Hezbollah militia hit a soccer field in the small town of Majdal Shams on the Golan Heights. Twelve children and young people between the ages of ten and twenty were killed. Photos show children’s bodies torn to pieces, and videos show screaming relatives running to the scene. Since October 7, no other attack on Israel has claimed so many civilian lives. The attack is not just a turning point for Majdal Shams – it could be a turning point for all of Israel.
Herzi Halevi, Israel’s Chief of Staff, came to Majdal Shams that night. He promised a “very, very clear reaction” to the attack. Hezbollah, meanwhile, denied any responsibility. Two hours after the incident, the Shiite militia announced that an Israeli interceptor missile had hit the football pitch, not one of its rockets.
According to the Israeli army, forensic evidence clearly shows that it was a Falaq-1 rocket of Iranian origin. Only Hezbollah has such rockets. According to Israel, the missile was fired north of the southern Lebanese village of Chebaa. So far, the information cannot be independently verified, but there is much to suggest that Hezbollah is responsible for the deaths of the children in Majdal Shams.
The rocket hit a football field in the small town of Majdal Shams.
One day after the Hamas massacre, the Lebanese Shiite militia began attacking northern Israel with drones and rockets. Israel responded with air strikes and targeted killings of high-ranking commanders of the Iran-aligned militia. Although both sides have steadily intensified their attacks, neither Israel nor Hezbollah have attempted to escalate the border war. This could now be over.
Many Israeli politicians, including Foreign Minister Israel Katz, announced that the situation had become intolerable and that Israel must take full action against Hezbollah. The bloodbath in Majdal Shams could be the spark that ignites a major conflict in northern Israel. A clash with the heavily armed Shiite militia would not only lead to high casualties on both sides, but also has the potential to ignite the entire Middle East.
“Hezbollah will pay a high price”
The town of Majdal Shams lies at the feet of Mount Hermon, the highest mountain in the Golan Heights, which Israel has occupied since 1967 and annexed in 1981. The 11,000 inhabitants are almost exclusively Druze. Most members of this Arab minority are well integrated and extremely loyal to the Israeli state. However, this does not necessarily apply to the Druze of the Golan. To this day, many of them refuse to accept Israeli citizenship because they see themselves as Syrians and support President Bashar al-Assad.
The Druze, who make up around 1.6 percent of the Israeli population, demanded better protection from the Israeli government after the attack. “A proper state cannot allow its citizens and residents to be constantly harmed,” said Sheikh Muwafak Tarif, the spiritual leader of the Druze, late Saturday evening.
Sheikh Muwafak Tarif (centre) on Saturday evening in Majdal Shams.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was in the USA at the time of the attack, spoke to Muwafak Tarif on the phone that night and promised the Druze leader that Hezbollah would pay a high price for the attack. Because of the attack, Netanyahu is returning to Israel earlier than planned. He is expected in Israel around midday on Sunday. His office announced that he would immediately convene the security cabinet upon his return.
Is the big war coming?
It seems certain that the Israeli army will now significantly intensify its actions against Hezbollah. However, security expert Eitan Shamir does not believe that Israel currently wants to wage a major war against Hezbollah. “The army must have enough ammunition and personnel stationed in the north for a war. And for that, Israel also needs the support of the USA – it cannot do without it,” said the head of the Israeli Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies in an interview.
In the past, the United States has repeatedly tried to avoid escalation on the Lebanese-Israeli border. Washington is trying to end tensions through a diplomatic agreement. Despite Saturday’s tragic attack, the United States’ fundamental interest will not have changed.
A grieving family with the portrait of a girl killed on Saturday in Majdal Shams.
According to Eitan Shamir, it is unclear whether Israel currently has sufficient ammunition and enough soldiers ready for action in the north, while almost half of the Israeli divisions are still deployed in the Gaza Strip. “Israel will therefore try to target strategic weapons depots and leading Hezbollah commanders,” says Shamir. “The attack will probably take place at a symbolic location.” Dahiya, a Shiite suburb of the Lebanese capital Beirut and a Hezbollah stronghold, is a likely target.
How Hezbollah would react to such an attack is another question. Even if both sides do not want war at the moment, the danger that they will sleepwalk into a major confrontation continues to grow.
Attack on a school in Gaza
Meanwhile, fierce fighting between the Israeli army and the Islamist Hamas continues in the Gaza Strip. According to the Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health, at least thirty people were killed in an air raid on a school in Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, including apparently children and women. According to Israeli sources, the attack was aimed at a Hamas command center in the school. The information cannot be verified.
At the same time, negotiations for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip are ongoing. On Sunday, according to reports Israeli officials met with representatives of the United States, Egypt and Qatar in Rome to push for an agreement with Hamas for the release of the Israeli hostages. Prime Minister Netanyahu recently appeared to tighten the conditions for an agreement.
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