Twelve children and youths were killed, and dozens more people wounded, when a Hezbollah heavy rocket hit near a soccer field in the Druze town of Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights on Saturday evening.
“The Hezbollah terrorist organization is behind the rocket launch at a soccer field in Majdal Shams which caused multiple civilian casualties, including children, earlier this evening,” the Israel Defense Forces said.
The majority of the casualties in this Hezbollah strike were children. The helicopters are having trouble even evacuating because Hezbollah is firing non-stop rockets
— Emily Schrader - אמילי שריידר امیلی شریدر (@emilykschrader) July 27, 2024
The attack hit a playground and adjacent football field where children were playing. I won’t share the worst… pic.twitter.com/ubioKZBVhy
The rocket strike, which occurred at 6:18 p.m., was part of the third barrage fired from Lebanon that evening by the Iran-backed Hezbollah terrorist organization, according to the Israeli military.
“All the fatalities are children, aged 10 to 20. We share in the grief of the families and embrace the Druze community in its difficult time,” IDF Spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari told reporters.
“In the past hour, Hezbollah has been lying and denying responsibility for the incident. Our intelligence is clear: Hezbollah is responsible for the murder of innocent children,” he added.
More than 30 wounded were evacuated to hospitals by Magen David Adom first responders and IDF helicopters.
“We arrived at the soccer field and saw destruction and items on fire,” said MDA medic Idan Avshalom. “Victims were lying on the grass, and the scenes were difficult. We immediately began triaging the injured. During the incident, there were additional [rocket] alerts, and medical treatment for the injured is still ongoing,” he added.
In response to the incident, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu moved up his return flight from the United States, according to his office.
“The prime minister will convene the Security Cabinet immediately upon his return to Israel,” the Prime Minister’s Office said.
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, Northern Command head Maj. Gen. Ori Gordin, Operations Directorate head Maj. Gen. Oded Basiuk, Air Force commander Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar and other members of the General Staff were conducting a situational assessment following the attack.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog tweeted, “The terrible and shocking disaster in the Druze village of Majdal Shams in the north of Israel is truly heartbreaking. There are no words that can comfort the families of the young victims who lost their lives through no fault of their own.”
He continued, “Hezbollah, armed and funded by Iran, does not distinguish between child or adult, soldier or civilian, Jew or Muslim, Druze or Christian.”
Hezbollah has attacked Israel nearly every day since it joined the war in support of Hamas on Oct. 8, firing thousands of rockets, missiles and explosive drones at Israeli towns. Tens of thousands of Israeli civilians remain internally displaced due to the ongoing violence.
