Jerusalem — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu returned from the United States and threatened swift retaliation for an attack from Lebanon that killed 12 Druze children and teenagers. It was the largest death toll from a Hezbollah attack on Israel since the war with Hamas began in October.
Netanyahu cut short his trip to the United States by a few hours to fly back to Israel. He said that Israel would retaliate for the attack by Hezbollah that killed 12 children and teenagers who were playing soccer in a village near the border with Lebanon.
He said the State of Israel will not let this attack pass.
Many in Lebanon were bracing for an Israeli response. Thousands of Lebanese in the south of the country fled their homes fearing Israeli strikes. Hezbollah denied that it was responsible, but both the U.S. and Israel said there was no doubt.
Israel’s army spokesperson Daniel Hagari.
“The Hezbollah terror organization fired a rocket at children playing soccer in a soccer field in Majdal Al-Shams in northern Israel, Hezbollah then lied to the whole world and claimed they did not carry out this attack. This is a lie. We can confirm that Hezbollah murdered ten children in this brutal attack,” he said.
The death toll later rose to 12.
The Druze are an Arab minority in Israel and Israeli citizens. Many serve in the Israeli army. Thousands attended the funerals of the 12 children killed and demanded the Israeli government hit back hard.
Hagari said the attack shows the true face of Hezbollah as a terrorist organization.
“For more than nine months, Hezbollah is attacking our citizens in the north firing thousands of rockets and missiles and UAVs at northern Israel, targeting homes, families and communities,” he said.
Israeli analysts said Israel and Hezbollah were closer to an all-out war than they had been since the war between Israel and Hamas began on October 7. Since Hezbollah began firing rockets and mortars at Israel, Israel has carried out hundreds of airstrikes that have killed 400 Lebanese, including hundreds of senior Hezbollah members. Twenty-four Israeli civilians and 18 Israeli soldiers have also been killed.
Additionally, about 100,000 Lebanese and 60,000 Israelis have been forced to leave their homes and there has been extensive property damage on both sides. Yet both Israel and Hezbollah have so far stopped short of a full-scale war. Israel is investing most of its energy against Hamas in Gaza, and Hezbollah seems wary of a full-scale Israeli attack that would hurt all of Lebanon.
Hezbollah has more than 150,000 rockets and missiles that can hit all of Israel. Israel has said it would see all of Lebanon as a target if the war expands. A full-scale war would exact a heavy price from both sides.
The sharp increase in tensions between Israel and Hezbollah comes amid reports that Israel and Hamas are close to agreement on at least a partial deal that would see dozens of Israeli hostages released in exchange for a six-week cease-fire.
