Rocket Strike Killing 12 Children & Teens puts Israel and Hezbollah on brink of all-out war

[Social Media]

 

The Middle East teeters on the edge of a broader conflict following a deadly rocket strike from Lebanon, which hit a soccer field in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights on Saturday, killing 12 children and teens. This attack, the deadliest on Israeli civilians since October 7, has raised fears of an all-out war between Israel and Hezbollah. In a rare move, Hezbollah denied responsibility for the rocket attack.

 

The White House National Security Council is currently in discussions with Israeli and Lebanese officials, aiming to find a diplomatic solution to "end all attacks once and for all" in the volatile border area between Israel and Lebanon. In response to the rocket strike, the Israeli military launched a series of strikes inside Lebanon, with Hezbollah also conducting retaliatory attacks. So far, no casualties have been reported from these exchanges.

 

The tragic incident occurred as Israel and Hamas are negotiating a cease-fire to end the nearly 10-month-long war in Gaza. The rocket hit the Druze town of Majdal Shams, located about 12 kilometers south of Lebanon and near the Syrian border, killing 12 children and teens and wounding 20 others. “I feel darkness inside and out. Nothing like this happened here,” said Anan Abu Saleh, a resident. The scene was described as horrific, with residents expressing the need for increased security.

 

The Israeli military is investigating why the rocket was not intercepted, suggesting the short journey and reaction time may have been factors. A bomb shelter stood close to the blackened field, steps away from where the rocket struck. The Druze, a religious sect with communities in Israel, Syria, and Lebanon, are among Israel's most loyal citizens, despite some tensions in the Golan Heights, which Israel captured from Syria in the 1967 Mideast war and annexed in 1981. Much of the international community still considers the area occupied territory. “Big anger, big, big. I have no feelings that I can explain to you,” said Hassan Shakir, a resident of Majdal Shams.

 

The scale of the attack and the young victims could prompt a severe response from Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who hurried back from the U.S. after the attack, warned that Hezbollah “will pay a heavy price for this attack, one that it has not paid so far.” The security Cabinet has authorized Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant to decide on the appropriate response.

 

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken indicated that all signs pointed to Hezbollah being responsible for the rocket. Israeli military’s Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi said an Iranian-made Falaq rocket, typically used by Hezbollah, was fired.

 

The White House on Sunday declared Hezbollah responsible for a deadly rocket attack on Saturday that killed 12 children in the Druze town of Majdal Shams, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened the security cabinet to discuss Israel’s reaction to the attack.

“It was their rocket, and launched from an area they control,” National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said in a statement, adding that the Hezbollah attack should be “universally condemned.” “Our support for Israel’s security is ironclad and unwavering against all Iran-backed threats, including Hezbollah,” she noted, adding that the Iran-backed terror group “started firing at Israel on October 8, claiming solidarity with Hamas, another terror organization in Iran’s so-called ‘Axis of Resistance.'”

 

Hezbollah has been engaging in attacks on Israel since Hamas’ attack on October 7, prompting Israel to target Hezbollah’s military infrastructure with airstrikes and drones. While most attacks have been confined to border areas, Israel has also targeted Hezbollah and Hamas leadership farther north in Lebanon. The ongoing conflict has led to the evacuation of tens of thousands of people along the border.

 

Hezbollah’s superior firepower compared to Hamas poses a significant threat, and a war on two fronts would strain Israel’s military capabilities, as noted by Barak Ben-Zur, a researcher at the International Institute of Counter-Terrorism.

 

In Lebanon, preparations for potential increased Israeli fire are underway. Lebanon’s national airline postponed the Beirut arrival of seven flights until Monday morning. Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati has been in urgent calls with diplomats and politicians. Abdallah Dalal, a resident of the Lebanese border village of Chebaa, said, “I doubt that there will be a strike, but nothing is far-fetched when it comes to the enemy.”

 

Any escalation could involve Iran, which has warned Israel that a strong reaction would lead to “unprecedented consequences.” Tensions between Iran and Israel flared in April when Iran launched 300 missiles and drones at Israel, most of which were intercepted, following the killing of an Iranian general.

 

The United Nations Secretary-General has called for maximum restraint from all parties involved. Officials from the United States, Egypt, and Qatar are meeting with Israeli officials in Rome to push for a cease-fire deal in Gaza. The head of Israel’s Mossad spy agency, David Barnea, has returned home, and negotiations are expected to continue.

 

Credit: BBC | AP | TOI 2024-07-27

 

 

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[gargamon]

Israel brought it on themselves. Tens of thousands of Palestinians killed and they cry foul when someone attacks them. Who do they think they are, Russia? We can attack you and kill your innocents but you better not attack us. Well actually there are a lot of similarities between Netanyahu and Putin.

 

Israel should have taken a more finessed approach like they did after the Olympics killings. Watch the movie Munich. 

[nobodysfriend]

8 minutes ago, Social Media said:

hit a soccer field in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights on Saturday, killing 12 children and teens.

 

Killing kids is always sad .

Killing itself is sad .

Is an israeli kid worth more than a palestinian ?

It seems so , by far ...

Stop the killing altogether , end this ongoing slaughter now .

It only demonstrates that there does not seem to be a will for peace at all .

SAD .

 

[300sd]

16 minutes ago, gargamon said:

Israel brought it on themselves. Tens of thousands of Palestinians killed and they cry foul when someone attacks them. Who do they think they are, Russia? We can attack you and kill your innocents but you better not attack us. Well actually there are a lot of similarities between Netanyahu and Putin.

 

Israel should have taken a more finessed approach like they did after the Olympics killings. Watch the movie Munich. 

Yes it's all Israels fault isn't it. Israel should put down all their weapons and make peace with all the nice surrounding Arab countries that just want to live in harmony with them.

"Israel brought it on themselves." Surely you must be joking with that statement. I think Oct.7 had something to do with it. Of course you may think of it as just: "some people did something!"

[Tug]

39 minutes ago, gargamon said:

Israel brought it on themselves. Tens of thousands of Palestinians killed and they cry foul when someone attacks them. Who do they think they are, Russia? We can attack you and kill your innocents but you better not attack us. Well actually there are a lot of similarities between Netanyahu and Putin.

 

Israel should have taken a more finessed approach like they did after the Olympics killings. Watch the movie Munich. 

The crime against Israel is to great to be solved like the Olympics murders.keep in mind its hammas using the Palestinian civilians as shields and the Israeli aren’t having it .the days of taking Israeli hostages as a means to ransom for wealth are over.its sad the Israeli kids got killed but what did anyone expect?I suspect this will be a costly victory for hisbola ….And so it goes the cycle continues……sad 

[Hawaiian]

Hezbollah is denying that they are responsible.  Must be because the victims are Arab Muslims who have condemned Hezbollah.

[gargamon]

1 hour ago, 300sd said:

Oct.7 had something to do with it.

Oct 7 was also Israel's fault. If the Israeli settlers hadn't been stealing Palestinian land for years and years it likely wouldn't have happened.

[Hawaiian]

1 hour ago, 300sd said:

Yes it's all Israels fault isn't it. Israel should put down all their weapons and make peace with all the nice surrounding Arab countries that just want to live in harmony with them.

"Israel brought it on themselves." Surely you must be joking with that statement. I think Oct.7 had something to do with it. Of course you may think of it as just: "some people did something!"

Evidently, he is very confused and quite naive.  Only fools make deals with the devil.

[300sd]

9 minutes ago, gargamon said:

Oct 7 was also Israel's fault. If the Israeli settlers hadn't been stealing Palestinian land for years and years it likely wouldn't have happened.

Disgusting comment. You may want to brush up on history. It seems you don't know it all that well!

 

[JonnyF]

Not much sympathy for Israel on this thread.

 

But wait until Israel retaliates, the bleeding hearts will be out in force to castigate the Jews for the temerity.

 

 

[Neeranam]

4 hours ago, 300sd said:

Disgusting comment. You may want to brush up on history. It seems you don't know it all that well!

 

 I think you should check your history books! 

 

 

[Social Media]

Please remain on topic which is:

 

Rocket Strike Killing 12 Children & Teens puts Israel and Hezbollah on brink of all-out war

[steve187]

5 hours ago, gargamon said:

Oct 7 was also Israel's fault. If the Israeli settlers hadn't been stealing Palestinian land for years and years it likely wouldn't have happened.

get your head out of the sand

[johng]

ohh dear

[connda]

4 hours ago, JonnyF said:

Not much sympathy for Israel on this thread.

 

But wait until Israel retaliates, the bleeding hearts will be out in force to castigate the Jews for the temerity.

 

 

It has nothing to do with Jews.  It has to do with Israel and the Israeli fight for liberty and democracy and freedom in the Middle East. 

[Regyai]

Wars and their portrayal in the media these days.....

 

How is it that with meteoric advances in weapons and technology, we've shifted from the likes of the annihilation of Dresden eighty years ago (with what are now archaic resources) to what we are led (force-fed) to believe by the media today that warfare can only impact but a scant handful of (exclusively) children and schools &/or hospitals. (the rhetoric is usually augmented by obviously 'staged' videos).

[Bkk Brian]

Excellent news, the commander of the terrorists Hezbollah who ordered the rocket attack on the Druze/Arab community has been eliminated.

 

Israel claims it killed senior Hezbollah commander in strike on Beirut

Israel says it has killed a top Hezbollah commander after carrying out a strike on a southern suburb of the Lebanese capital Beirut.
At least one person was killed and a number of others wounded in the explosion in Dahiyeh, a stronghold of the Lebanese armed group.
The Israeli military says Fuad Shukr was the target of an "intelligence-based elimination" by fighter jets.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1rwxyjydlyo