Israeli security forces and medics transport the injured from a site where a reported strike, reportedly from southern Lebanon, landed in the village of Majdel Shams, in the Golan area annexed by Israel, on July 27, 2024. Photo by AFP.
BEIRUT — The already tense situation at the Lebanese-Israeli border took a dramatic turn on Saturday. While Hezbollah was launching several operations in retaliation to an Israeli strike in the locality of Kfar Kila (Marjeyoun District), where it lost four fighters, Israeli media reported that a 'rocket' had fallen near a football field in Majdel Shams, a Druze town in the Israeli-occupied Syrian Golan Heights.
At least 11 people have been killed. Those among the dead were between the age of 10 and 20 years old, Israeli news outlet, Haaretz reports, citing medical sources.
Hezbollah quickly issued a statement denying any responsibility for the strike. However, within half an hour, the Israeli army accused the Shiite party of being behind, what it described as the "deadliest" attack on civilians since October 7, AFP reports. According to Reuters, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) indicated that its commander was in contact with Israeli and Lebanese authorities to discuss the deadly incident in Majdel Shams, in order to maintain calm.
Hezbollah appeared to have suspended its military operations shortly after the announcement of the strike in Majdel Shams. Its last message announcing its 12th operation of the day was published at 7:30 PM local time, while Israeli media were already covering the deadly incident.
According to Haaretz, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant consulted with Chief of Staff General Herzl Halevi and high-security officials to assess the situation. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, traveling in the United States, was informed of the incident - and brought forward his return flight. Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz stated that he had spoken with Mr. Netanyahu but provided no further details, as reported by Israel Times two hours after the incident. "There is no doubt that Hezbollah has crossed all red lines," he declared.
In Beirut, the office of outgoing Prime Minister Najib Mikati issued a statement on Saturday evening "condemning acts of violence and attacks against civilians" and "calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities on all fronts." The statement emphasizes that "targeting civilians constitutes a blatant violation of international law and an act incompatible with humanitarian principles." Mr. Mikati is in Paris with the Lebanese delegation sent for the Olympic Games.
Parliament Speaker, Nabih Berri, and Druze leader, Walid Joumblatt, also reacted to the developing events. According to local channel MTV, Berri spoke by phone with the UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert. During the call, Berri reportedly stated that "the resistance’s denial (...) categorically confirms Lebanon and its resistance’s commitment and lack of responsibility for what happened." As for Mr. Joumblatt, he expressed his "sincere condolences" and sympathy to the families of the victims and the entire population of the occupied Syrian Golan. Calling for the avoidance of escalation, he acknowledged the denial, noting that Israel has been "long seeking to spark conflicts and fragment the region."
According to a source at the Progressive Socialist Party contacted by L’Orient Today, the Druze leader also received a phone call from US Middle East envoy Amos Hochstein, who reportedly expressed concern about the situation's developments. Walid Joumblatt reiterated "the necessity of an immediate halt to Israeli aggression against Palestine and Lebanon," emphasizing his "solidarity with all Lebanese in the face of this aggression." He also noted that he would continue his efforts to prevent the war from spreading "within available means."
Towards a "Decisive Offensive"?
This incident comes at a crucial time for Israeli authorities who announced this week a "decisive offensive" against Hezbollah after months of cross-border exchanges of fire that began on October 8, 2023. On Saturday the Israeli army indicated at 9 PM that it was "preparing a response" to Hezbollah's attack. The Shiite party has not claimed any attack on Majdel Shams.
Unverified information spreading on social media has raised questions about the attack. According to our correspondent in South Lebanon, Mountasser Abdallah, a message attributed to Ghaleb Seif, described as the head of a Druze organization in the annexed Golan, stating that "rockets falling on Druze villages and Galilee are Israeli interception rockets, and always cause severe damage to places and people," began circulating on local news sites. Jason Brodsky, a member of the NGO United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), claimed without providing concrete evidence that it was a Falaq missile that fell on the Druze town, without giving concrete elements to support this claim. This missile is one of the projectiles used by Hezbollah in its retaliatory actions to target the "headquarters of the Harmon Brigade in the Maaleh Golani barracks," near the disputed Shebaa Farms.
Before the Majdel Shams incident, Hezbollah had claimed to have hit this army base, as well as an Israeli army command infrastructure in Beit Hillel, opposite Houla in the Marjeyoun District, Zebdine in the disputed Shebaa Farms, and Ramim Ramim, also opposite Houla. Israel's air force responsed with a strike on Kfar Kila at 2 PM, which killed 4 people. A fifth person was found alive under the rubble by rescuers, contacted by our correspondent Mountasser Abdallah.