Israel strikes Hezbollah targets in Lebanon following deadly rocket attack on Golan Heights

New Delhi, July 28: Israel's air force launched strikes against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon early Sunday after a rocket attack killed 12 children and young adults in the Druze town of Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights.

The attack, which occurred on Saturday, is the deadliest incident in Israel caused by rockets from Lebanon since the current conflict began. Israel has accused Hezbollah of orchestrating the attack, although the militant group has denied any involvement.

The rocket attack hit a football field and playground, claiming the lives of 12 Israelis, most of whom were children and teens. Dozens of rockets were launched at northern Israel from Lebanon on Saturday, according to the Israel Défense Forces (IDF). Additionally, two suspicious aerial targets entered Israel from Lebanon, with one intercepted and the other crashing near Kibbutz Yiftah.

The Israeli navy intercepted a drone launched from Lebanon over Israel's maritime space on Saturday. The IDF confirmed that the drone posed no threat to nearby gas rigs. In response, the IDF conducted airstrikes targeting seven Hezbollah sites deep within Lebanese territory.

The escalating violence threatens to spark a full-scale war between Israel and Hezbollah, which have been regularly exchanging fire since the outbreak of the Israel-Gaza war in October. Saturday’s rocket attack on Majdal Shams is the most severe loss of life on Israel's northern border since the conflict began on October 7.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed immediate retaliation, stating that Hezbollah would "pay a heavy price." The Israeli Air Force later reported that it had struck "terror targets," including weapons caches and terrorist infrastructure.

The United Nations has called for "maximum restraint" from all parties to avoid a broader conflict that could devastate the entire region. Despite Hezbollah's denial of responsibility, IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari accused the group of "lying and denying responsibility," asserting that the rocket was an Iranian-made Falaq-1, "owned exclusively by Hezbollah." He emphasized that Israeli intelligence clearly identified Hezbollah as responsible for the attack.

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, who was visiting the United States, is returning home early due to the escalating crisis. Israeli President Isaac Herzog condemned the attack as a "terrible and shocking disaster" and reaffirmed that Israel would "firmly defend its citizens and its sovereignty."

The situation remains tense as both sides brace for potential further escalation, with the risk of a wider conflict looming large.