A strike from Lebanon killed 12 youths. Could that spark war between Israel and Hezbollah?

TEL AVIV, Israel — The Center East braced for a possible flare-up in violence on Sunday after Israeli authorities mentioned a rocket from Lebanon struck a soccer subject within the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights, killing 12 kids and teenagers in what the army referred to as the deadliest assault on civilians since Oct. 7. It raised fears of a broader regional struggle between Israel and Hezbollah, which in a uncommon transfer denied it was accountable.

In a single day, the Israeli army mentioned it struck plenty of targets inside Lebanon, although their depth was just like months of cross-border preventing between Israel and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah. Hezbollah mentioned it additionally carried out strikes. There have been no fast experiences of casualties.

Saturday’s assault got here at a delicate time. Israel and Hamas are negotiating a cease-fire proposal to finish the practically 10-month struggle in Gaza.

Here’s a take a look at the broader repercussions:

What occurred?

On Saturday, a rocket slammed right into a soccer subject the place dozens of youngsters and teenagers have been enjoying within the Druze city of Majdal Shams, about 12 kilometers (7 miles) south of Lebanon and subsequent to the Syrian border. Twelve have been killed and 20 others wounded, in keeping with the Israeli army. One 11-year-old was lacking, residents instructed Israeli media.

“I really feel darkness in and out. Nothing like this occurred right here,” resident Anan Abu Saleh mentioned. “There’s no technique to clarify this. I noticed kids, I don’t wish to say what I noticed, but it surely’s horrible, actually horrible. We want extra safety.” On Sunday, the coffins handed by way of a crowd of hundreds.

The Druze are a non secular sect that started as an offshoot of Shiite Islam. There are Druze communities in Israel, Syria and Lebanon. There are about 140,000 Druze in Israel and 25,000 within the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights, in keeping with Yusri Hazran of the Hebrew College.

The Druze are thought-about amongst Israel’s most loyal residents, though these within the Golan Heights have a extra fraught relationship with authorities. Israel captured the Golan, a strategic plateau, from Syria within the 1967 Mideast struggle and annexed it in 1981. A lot of the worldwide group considers the world to be occupied territory. Whereas Druze leaders within the Golan profess allegiance to Syria, relations with Israel are usually good.

“Massive anger, massive, massive. I’ve no emotions that I can clarify to you,” mentioned Hassan Shakir, a Majdal Shams resident.

What may this imply for a wider struggle?

Assaults alongside the Israel-Lebanon border have simmered beneath the brink of all-out struggle for the reason that begin of the battle in Gaza. However the toll and younger victims in Saturday’s assault may push Israel to reply extra severely.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hurried house from the U.S. after the strike and warned that Hezbollah “can pay a heavy worth for this assault, one which it has not paid to date.” Israeli army’s Chief of Employees Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi mentioned a Falaq rocket with a 53-kilogram warhead that belonged to Hezbollah was fired.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken mentioned Sunday that “each indication” confirmed the rocket got here from Hezbollah. He mentioned Israel had a proper to defend itself however the U.S. didn’t need the battle to escalate.

Hezbollah started firing rockets at Israel the day after Hamas’ assault on Oct. 7. Israel has responded by focusing on what it says is Hezbollah’s army infrastructure with airstrikes and drones. Most assaults have been confined to frame areas, although Israel has assassinated Hezbollah and Hamas management farther north in Lebanon. Tens of hundreds of individuals alongside the border have evacuated.

Since early October, Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon have killed greater than 500 folks, largely Hezbollah members but in addition round 90 civilians. On the Israeli facet, 22 troopers and 24 civilians have been killed.

Hezbollah has far superior firepower to Hamas. Igniting a struggle in Israel’s north whereas it’s engaged in Gaza would overburden the army, Barak Ben-Zur, a researcher on the Worldwide Institute of Counter-Terrorism, instructed journalists: “We’re not, let’s say, succesful to do it in each locations and on the similar time.”

In Lebanon, some ready for extra hearth from Israel. Lebanon’s nationwide airline introduced it had postponed the Beirut arrival of seven flights till Monday morning, with out saying why. Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati had pressing calls with diplomats and politicians, his workplace mentioned.

“I doubt that there shall be a strike, however nothing is far-fetched on the subject of the enemy,” mentioned Abdallah Dalal, a resident of the Lebanese border village of Chebaa. Israeli officers have mentioned the rocket that hit Majdal Shams was fired close by.