At least 11 children and youth between the ages of 10 and 20 years old were killed—and dozens more seriously wounded—by the impact of a rocket fired by Hezbollah on a soccer field in Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights on Saturday evening.
According to the Magen David Adom (MDA) rescue service, large rescue forces, including ambulances and helicopters, were rushed to the Druze village of Majdal Shams. At least 11 children were critically wounded in the attack and passed away within hours.
In addition, Ziv Hospital in Safed said that around 10 p.m. it received 32 casualties, of whom 6 were in serious condition, 13 in moderate to serious condition and 10 with minor injuries. Several others were treated for shock.
At least 40 people total were killed or wounded in the attack, making it by far the most serious incident on Israel’s northern front, and the event with the most civilian casualties during the current war so far.
Paramedic Idan Avshalom said: “We arrived at a soccer field and saw destruction, objects on fire. Casualties were lying on the grass, very difficult scenes, we immediately started sorting the casualties, some of the injured were taken to local clinics and our teams were directed to the clinics as well.”
“During the incident, there were additional alerts and the medical treatment of the victims is still ongoing,” he added.
Majdal Shams lies around 6 km (4 miles) from the Lebanese border. Its residents have not been evacuated, unlike tens of thousands of residents in towns closer to the border.
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Israel Defense Forces later stated that troops and helicopters were helping with rescue and evacuation efforts in the town.
An Israeli official told media outlets that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was being updated about the details of the incident and was holding a security consultation.
Netanyahu was still in the United States, after prolonging his stay to meet former U.S. President Donald Trump in Florida. This necessitated his staying in the U.S. over the weekend, however, Israeli leaders typically do not travel during the Jewish Sabbath.
Israeli media reported that the prime minister’s team would decide whether to return to Israel during the Sabbath after an upcoming phone call with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
Following criticism that he didn’t immediately decide to return to Israel in the face of the worst incident since the start of the war, Netanyahu’s office stated he would return early.
“Immediately upon learning of the disaster, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directed that his return to Israel be brought forward as quickly as possible,” the prime minister’s office stated.
After initial meetings among the army’s top brass, the IDF stated that it was preparing to respond to the attack in a significant way. The army also noted that the rocket used in the attack was allegedly an especially heavy type and that the Israeli Air Force (AIF) would investigate why it wasn’t intercepted.
The IDF further emphasized that, according to available intelligence, the launch was carried out by Hezbollah, however, the Lebanese terror group denied any involvement in the incident in a rare statement of its kind earlier in the evening.
“Hezbollah is behind the launch of the rocket that hit the soccer field in Majdal Shams and caused many casualties, only civilians, including children earlier this evening,” the IDF reiterated.
The deadly rocket was part of several heavy barrages targeting the Upper Galilee and the Golan Heights on Saturday afternoon. Hezbollah claimed responsibility for 12 separate attacks throughout the day, higher than its daily average in the past weeks.
The first volley of some 30 rockets targeting the Upper Galilee and the Golan Heights was partly intercepted, the IDF stated.
Another barrage of about 10 rockets was later fired at the area of Neve Ativ, falling into open areas, before the deadly rocket was fired at Majdal Shams.
The heavy rocket attacks followed an IDF strike in southern Lebanon that killed four of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Forces operatives, according to Lebanese reports.
IDF soldiers from the IDF’s 869th Field Intelligence Battalion reportedly spotted a terrorist entering a military compound that included an ammunition depot near Kafr Kila and then directed IAF fighter jets to strike the building.
Earlier in the day, Hezbollah launched two drones toward the area of Yiftah and shot two rockets targeting Shtula. The attacks caused no injuries or damage.
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This article originally appeared on ALL ISRAEL NEWS and is reposted with permission.
The All Israel News Staff is a team of journalists in Israel.
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