In a pivotal escalation of the war between Hezbollah and Israel, the terrorist group on Saturday evening launched an Iranian-made rocket towards the North, hitting a soccer field near a playground in the Druze town of Majdal Shams.There were 12 children and teenagers killed, all between the ages of 10 and 20, when a rocket struck a soccer field. At least 19 were wounded to varying degrees, including six seriously injured, three moderately, and 10 lightly injured, including those suffering from anxiety attacks.By press time, 11 names were confirmed by authorities: Fajr Laith Abu Salah, Amir Rabi Abu Salah, 16, Hazem Akram Abu Salah, 16, John Wadie Ibrahim, 15, Izil Nashat Ayoub, 13, Finis Adham Safadi, 12, Alma Ayman Fakhr al-Din, 12, Yazan Naif Abu Salah, 11, Naji Taher Halabi, 11, Millar Maadad al-Shaar, 11, and Nazem Fakher Saeb, 10.
Millar Maadad al-Shaar, 10Alma Ayman Fakhr al-Din, 11Naji Taher Halabi, 11Yazan Naif Abu Salah, 12Izil Nashat Ayoub, 12Finis Adham Safadi, 12John Wadie Ibrahim, 13Hazem Akram Abu Salah, 15Fajr Laith Abu Salah, 16Amir Rabi Abu Salah, 16Nazem Fakher Saeb… pic.twitter.com/PsEletQCKO
— Israel ישראל (@Israel) July 28, 2024
Hezbollah quickly denied any connection to the incident. IDF chief spokesman R-Adm. Daniel Hagari that the rocket was a Falaq 1 rocket of Iranian production whose warhead carried over 50 kilos of explosives. Hagari stated such a rocket is to be found in Hezbollah’s possession, adding the terror group had “carried out the launch from the Chebaa area in Lebanon.” Hagari also named the Hezbollah commander who guided the fire as “Ali Muhammad Yihye.”The wounded were evacuated to hospitals by Magen David Adom teams and IDF helicopters, MDA said, adding that, following the strike, about 100 doses and blood components were provided to hospitals. Rambam Hospital in Haifa said that 4 of the 5 children it received underwent surgeries during the night, and were hospitalized in the intensive care unit at the Ruth Children’s Hospital in Rambam (three of them are breathing independently) while one was in the pediatric surgery department. In Safed, Ziv Medical Center said that of the 39 wounded it received, 17 were in a moderate-severe condition, 21 in a minor condition and one person died of wounds immediately upon arrival.
Earlier, an IDF situational assessment stated the rocket launch toward Majdal Shams was carried out by Hezbollah. A senior official from Hezbollah, Mohammad Afif, told Reuters on Saturday that the group was not responsible for the strike, although later Hagari stated that the terror organization was lying.From the analysis of the IDF’s operational systems, the rocket launch was carried out from an area located north of the village of Chebaa in southern Lebanon.
Earlier, an IDF situational assessment stated the rocket launch toward Majdal Shams was carried out by Hezbollah. A senior official from Hezbollah, Mohammad Afif, told Reuters on Saturday that the group was not responsible for the strike, although later Hagari stated that the terror organization was lying.
From the analysis of the IDF's operational systems, the rocket launch was carried out from an area located north of the village of Chebaa in southern Lebanon.
Situational assessments of the incident
IDF Chief of Staff, Lt.-Gen. Herzi Halevi, the Northern Command’s Commanding Officer, the Operations Directorate Head, the Israel Air Force Head, and other members of the General Staff Forum conducted a situational assessment of the incident.In addition, the Northern Command’s Commanding Office Maj.-Gen. Ori Gordin conducted a situational assessment in Majdal Shams where he also visited the area of the direct hit. Gordin also spoke with Sheikh Muwafaq Tarif, the head of the Druze community.
FURTHERMORE, THE Education Ministry in the North opened a situation room to assess the events, accompanied by the authorities, families, and school personnel.Alarms were activated in the Majdal Shams area in the Northern Galilee at 6:18 p.m. Israel Army Radio later reported that an initial IDF investigation found that it had been impossible to give a longer warning time and that an interceptor had not been launched due to topographical challenges. The rocket’s low flight reportedly made the interception difficult.Army Radio added that detecting the rocket was, however, no difficulty, and while an alarm sounded, the short distance from launch to impact made earlier warning impossible.The military said residents had about 20 seconds to react to the alarm, but the Israeli outlet added that locals reported only having a few seconds.Moshe Davidovitch, head of the Mateh Asher Regional Council and chairman of the Confrontation Line Forum, responded to the incident, “I share the sorrow of the leadership of the Majdal Shams local council over the tragic harm to innocent residents and send speedy recovery wishes to the injured.”“I am outraged! It seems that until the rockets land in Caesarea, the Prime Minister and cabinet members will continue their policy of ignoring the North. I call on the government to wake up from its slumber and act immediately!” he declared.Israel Police reported that it was dealing with a few locations of fallen shrapnel shortly following the initial reports of the rocket attack.
Moshe Davidovitch, head of the Mateh Asher Regional Council and chairman of the Confrontation Line Forum, responded to the incident, “I share the sorrow of the leadership of the Majdal Shams local council over the tragic harm to innocent residents and send speedy recovery wishes to the injured.”“I am outraged! It seems that until the rockets land in Caesarea, the Prime Minister and cabinet members will continue their policy of ignoring the North. I call on the government to wake up from its slumber and act immediately!” he declared.Israel Police reported that it was dealing with a few locations of fallen shrapnel shortly following the initial reports of the rocket attack.The residents of several localities in Northern Galilee were told to stay near shelters, including in Nimrod, Neve Ativ, Odem, El-Rom, Merom Golan, Ein Zivan, Ortal, Sha’al, Kela Alon, and Ramat Trump Heights, according to military guidelines, following several barrages of rockets. Additionally, Wast Junction and Brown Junction in the area are closed to vehicular traffic.In the most recent barrage of rockets since the hit in Majdal Shams, 100 rockets were reportedly fired, according to the Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Mayadeen network.Earlier, a barrage of rockets was fired Saturday evening toward Neve Ativ at 5:55 p.m., which included approximately 10 projectiles from Lebanon, the IDF reported. All projectiles fell in open areas and there were no injuries reported.At 5:24 p.m., approximately 30 rockets were seen crossing from Lebanon into Israel, and alarms were activated in Kiryat Shmona, Tel Hai, Margaliot, and across the Northern Galilee. In this instance, the IDF Aerial Defense Array intercepted numerous projectiles, and the rest fell in open areas. In this instance, also no injuries were reported.The shooting was carried out in response to the elimination of four Radwan force operatives in southern Lebanon Saturday evening, Ynet reported. These operatives included Naeem Ali Farhat and Ahmad Hikmat Musa from the al-Bekaa region in northeastern Lebanon, Mohammed Ali Mustafa Merish from Beirut, and Hassan Al-Halal Al-Saidi from the town of Toul in southern Lebanon, Ynet reported, citing Hezbollah.This brings the total number of the organization’s fatalities since the start of the war to 383.
Reuters and Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.