Israel blames Hezbollah for strike it says killed 11, including children, in Golan Heights

Israeli authorities say 11 people, including children, have been killed by a rocket strike on a soccer pitch in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

The Israeli military says the rocket was fired by the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, which is denying the claim.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) says it is preparing a response to the rocket attack — the deadliest strike in Israel or Israeli-annexed territory since the start of the conflict in Gaza on October 7.

“Our intelligence is clear. Hezbollah is responsible for the killing of innocent children, teens,” said Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, adding that Hezbollah was lying in its denial of involvement in the incident.

He said all 10 people killed were aged 10 to 20 and that more than 20 other people were wounded.

The rocket hit a sports field in the village of Majdal Shams, home to members of the Druze ethnic minority.

A medic described great destruction and fire at the scene.

“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,” said Magen David Adom medic Idan Avshalom.

A witness, who asked not to be named, told Reuters news agency that a projectile “landed in the soccer pitch, all of them are children … many bodies and remains are in field, we don’t know who they are”.

Hezbollah has been firing rockets, missiles and drones into Israeli-held territory since just after the Hamas attacks of October 7 last year, with Israel striking Hezbollah sites and members in Lebanon.

Hezbollah said in a statement that its militants firing Katyusha rockets at an Israeli army post in the Golan Heights was in response to Israeli air strikes on villages in south Lebanon.

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is meeting with security chiefs to determine the country’s response.

World reactions

Israel’s Foreign Minister Israel Katz said Israel was approaching an all-out war against Hezbollah and Lebanon, Axios reported.

“The Hezbollah attack today crossed all red lines, and the response will be accordingly. We are approaching the moment of an all-out war against Hezbollah and Lebanon,” Mr Katz told Axios.

The Iran-backed Lebanese group has denied any role in the attack.

Axios reports the US government is also concerned the attack could lead to an all-out war between Hezbollah and Israel.

Lebanon’s government condemned on Saturday attacks on civilians and called for an end to hostilities on all fronts.