A tragic rocket strike on a football pitch in Majdal Shams, a Druze village in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, resulted in the deaths of ten people, including children, and wounded 13 others. The attack occurred on Saturday and has been attributed to Hezbollah by Israeli officials, although the Lebanese group has denied involvement.
The rocket fired from Lebanon caused significant casualties and destruction at the local sports venue. We witnessed great destruction when we arrived at the soccer field, as well as items that were on fire. There were casualties on the grass and the scene was gruesome,” reported Idan Avshalom, a medic from Magen David Adom ambulance service.
A witness at the scene described the horrific aftermath to Reuters, saying, “It landed in the soccer pitch, all of them are children… many bodies and remains are in the field; we don’t know who they are.”
The incident follows an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon that killed four militants earlier that same day. Lebanese security sources noted that the deceased were members of various armed groups, with at least one identified as a member of Hezbollah.
In retaliation, according to the Israeli military, at least 30 rockets were fired from Lebanon, with Hezbollah identified as the perpetrator of the attack on Majdal Shams, although the organization denies this claim. “The Islamic Resistance has absolutely nothing to do with the incident, and categorically denies all false allegations in this regard,” stated a Hezbollah representative.
This escalation marks a significant uptick in hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, reminiscent of past conflicts and raising concerns about a potential broader conflict. The Golan Heights, captured by Israel from Syria in 1967 and annexed in 1981—a move not recognized internationally—remains a contentious and strategic area, central to ongoing regional tensions.
A tragic rocket strike on a football pitch in Majdal Shams, a Druze village in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, resulted in the deaths of ten people, including children, and wounded 13 others. The attack occurred on Saturday and has been attributed to Hezbollah by Israeli officials, although the Lebanese group has denied involvement.
The rocket fired from Lebanon caused significant casualties and destruction at the local sports venue. We witnessed great destruction when we arrived at the soccer field, as well as items that were on fire. There were casualties on the grass and the scene was gruesome,” reported Idan Avshalom, a medic from Magen David Adom ambulance service.
A witness at the scene described the horrific aftermath to Reuters, saying, “It landed in the soccer pitch, all of them are children… many bodies and remains are in the field; we don’t know who they are.”
The incident follows an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon that killed four militants earlier that same day. Lebanese security sources noted that the deceased were members of various armed groups, with at least one identified as a member of Hezbollah.
In retaliation, according to the Israeli military, at least 30 rockets were fired from Lebanon, with Hezbollah identified as the perpetrator of the attack on Majdal Shams, although the organization denies this claim. “The Islamic Resistance has absolutely nothing to do with the incident, and categorically denies all false allegations in this regard,” stated a Hezbollah representative.
This escalation marks a significant uptick in hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, reminiscent of past conflicts and raising concerns about a potential broader conflict. The Golan Heights, captured by Israel from Syria in 1967 and annexed in 1981—a move not recognized internationally—remains a contentious and strategic area, central to ongoing regional tensions.
