At least 10 people, including several children, were killed on Saturday by Hezbollah rockets fired into northern Israel that hit a playground and a soccer field in the Golan Heights town of Majdal Shams in an escalation that could escalate further fighting in the latest offensive deadly. in Israel from October 7.
More than a dozen others were injured in the attack on Friday.
The Israeli leadership immediately gathered to consider its response.
Officials expect the death toll to rise, as some of the injured are listed in critical condition at nearby hospitals.
Israeli Foreign Minister Katz discussed the deadly attack with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and stated that “Hezbollah crossed all red lines” and that Israel is now “facing an all-out war” with Lebanese terrorists.
“I have no doubt that we will pay the price,” he said, adding that Hezbollah would pay a higher toll for its actions.
When Israel retaliates, Katz claims it will have the “full support” of the United States and Europe.
Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) issued a statement shortly after the attack, saying, “Since October 7th, Hezbollah has been bombarding Israel with rockets, displacing up to (100,000) Israelis and terrorizing many more. The killing of (these) children is a manifestation the latest of Hezbollah’s unrelenting terror.
Hezbollah denied carrying out the attack, saying it had “no connection to the incident, and categorically rejects all false accusations.” Iran-backed land does not suggest another culprit.
The Israel Defense Forces issued a statement blaming the Iranian-backed group, which has been lobbing rockets at Israel’s northern border since the war with Hamas began after the terrorist organization’s brutal Oct. 7 attack in southern Israel.
In other developments, Israel once again warned Palestinians in the southern Gaza town of Khan Younis to evacuate on Saturday ahead of an armed attack on military facilities and possible Hamas terrorist cells.
The IDF also reportedly destroyed a launch site in the Zeitoun district, from where Hamas had previously launched missiles and drones aimed at Israel.
IDF soldiers also shelled the school there, responding to intelligence that Hamas militants have returned and re-attached there, and established a command center with a cache of weapons.
Reports indicate an airstrike on Khadija’s school in Deir-al Balah killed about 30 people and said 100 others were seriously injured. Thousands of people took refuge in the school at that time.
Many of the wounded were women and children, Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital officials said.
Separately, Israel reportedly presented US officials with an updated hostage and cease-fire agreement on Saturday, a senior Israeli official and two other inside sources told Axios reporter Barak Ravid.
The proposal comes ahead of other peace talks in Rome starting on Sunday which will be attended by CIA director Bill Burns, along with Mossad director David Barnea, Qatar’s Prime Minister and Egypt’s intelligence chief.
Hamas has been accused of being “stubborn” in the resolution of the conflict, insisting that any agreement for peace includes provisions to determine how the war will end and further orders Israel to withdraw all troops from Gaza.
Meanwhile, Palestinian Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for firing a separate rocket from Gaza into southern Israel.
Three rockets were fired from Gaza at the community of Ashkelon, marking the first attack launched by the Jihadists this month.
One of the rockets was taken out by the infamous Iron Dome while the other two hit an open area, causing zero casualties.
With Post cable