Eleven children and teenagers were killed and at least 38 were wounded when a Hezbollah heavy rocket hit a soccer field in the Israeli 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 rocket strike just after 6pm was part of the third barrage fired from Lebanon that evening, and carried out by the Iran-backed Hezbollah terrorist organisation, according to an IDF situational assessment and intelligence information.
"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 at a briefing.
"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.
At least 34 casualties with wounds of varying degrees 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," MDA medic Idan Avshalom said. "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," added the first responder.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu moved up his return flight from the U.S. following the incident in northern Israel, his office said.
Israeli security forces and medics in Majdal Shams (Photo by JALAA MAREY/AFP via Getty Images)AFP via Getty Images
"The prime minister will convene the Security Cabinet immediately upon his return to Israel," the Prime Minister's Office said.
In a statement, Netanyahu said that Hezbollah “will pay a heavy price for this attack, one that it has not paid so far.”
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.
President Isaac Herzog tweeted following the incident, "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 October 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.
