Lagatar24 Desk
Majdal Shams, Golan Heights/Jerusalem: Israel’s security cabinet has authorized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to decide the “manner and timing” of a response to a rocket strike in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. The attack, which killed 12 teenagers and children, has been blamed on the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah by both Israel and the United States.
The rocket strike occurred in Majdal Shams on Saturday, marking the deadliest attack in Israel or Israeli-annexed territory since Hamas’ assault on October 7, which sparked the ongoing war in Gaza. The conflict has spread across multiple fronts, raising fears of a wider regional conflict.
Hezbollah has denied responsibility for the attack. However, Israel has vowed retaliation, and Israeli jets struck targets in southern Lebanon on Sunday. A more substantial response is anticipated following the security cabinet meeting in Tel Aviv.
Netanyahu’s office stated that the cabinet has given him and the Defense Minister the authority to determine the response. The White House also attributed the attack to Hezbollah, stating, “This attack was conducted by Lebanese Hezbollah. It was their rocket, and launched from an area they control.”
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris expressed strong support for Israel’s security, while the U.S. has been in talks with Israeli and Lebanese counterparts since the attack to seek a diplomatic resolution. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasized that Washington does not want the conflict to escalate further, noting the daily exchanges of fire between Israeli forces and Hezbollah along the border.
In response to the attack, thousands gathered for funerals in the Druze village of Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights. The territory, captured from Syria by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war and later annexed, is home to over 40,000 people, with the Druze community making up more than half.
Local council head Dolan Abu Saleh described the attack as a “heavy tragedy” for the village. Hezbollah, despite initially claiming to have fired rockets at Israeli military sites in the Golan Heights, denied involvement in the attack on Majdal Shams.
Israel identified the rocket as an Iranian-made missile fired from southern Lebanon, attributing the attack to Hezbollah. It remains unclear if the victims were Israeli citizens.
“Hezbollah is the only terror organization with these rockets in its arsenal,” said Israel’s foreign ministry. Security sources indicated that Hezbollah is on high alert, clearing key sites in southern Lebanon and the eastern Bekaa Valley in anticipation of an Israeli strike.
The conflict has displaced tens of thousands in both Lebanon and Israel. Israeli strikes have killed approximately 350 Hezbollah fighters and over 100 civilians, including medics, children, and journalists. The ongoing clashes, which have already seen significant loss of life, risk dragging in other regional powers, including the United States and Iran.
Iran warned Israel against any new military ventures in Lebanon, while Syria’s foreign ministry accused Israel of escalating the situation and making false accusations against Hezbollah.
The United Nations has urged maximum restraint from both sides to prevent further escalation, warning that it could lead to a regional catastrophe. Meanwhile, Lebanon has called on the U.S. to urge Israel to show restraint, and the U.S. has asked Lebanon to convey a similar message to Hezbollah.
The situation remains tense as both sides prepare for potential further conflict, highlighting the fragile and volatile nature of the region.
