Majdal Shams attack

Majdal Shams Majdal Shams is a predominantly Druze town in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, Israel–Hezbollah conflict Following the 7 October attack, Hezbollah joined the conflict the next day, launching guided rockets and drone attacks at Israeli communities and military installations in Galilee and the Golan Heights. This Israel–Hezbollah conflict has displaced entire communities in Israel and Lebanon, with significant damage to buildings and land along the border. As of 5 July 2024, Israel reports having killed approximately 366 Hezbollah operatives with over 100 Lebanese civilians confirmed killed. According to the UN, over 90,000 people in Lebanon have been forced to flee their homes, while in Israel, 60,000 civilians have evacuated. Israel and Hezbollah have maintained their attacks at a level that causes significant harm without escalating into a full-scale war. Hezbollah employed advanced Iranian-origin missiles, including the Falaq-1 rocket system, in its attacks against Israel. Following a similar attack in June which injured civilians on a soccer field in the Druze town of Hurfeish, Israel said it targeted military sites deep within Lebanon in response. == Attack ==

Early in the morning, Hezbollah took responsibility for multiple attacks including one with a Falaq-type rocket on the military headquarters of the Hermon Brigade, which was 3 km from the football pitch. At 6:18 pm, alarms sounded in Majdal Shams. A projectile then hit and exploded at a soccer field in the town, located near a playground. According to initial reports, eleven people were wounded, with five in critical condition and six in serious condition. Emergency services, including Magen David Adom (MDA), treated the critically injured, aged between 10 and 20, some of whom were transferred to local clinics. A senior MDA paramedic described the scene as one of destruction with victims lying on the grass. Victims Twelve children, ranging in age between ten and sixteen years old, were killed in the attack. At least 42 others were injured. None of the 12 children and teens killed had Israeli citizenship. Analysis The IDF stated that they had performed an assessment and concluded that Hezbollah was responsible for the rocket attack. carrying a 50 kg warhead, which has previously been used by Hezbollah, the only Iranian proxy to possess it. The Israeli army posted pictures of Falaq-1 shrapnel that it said was found at the scene of the attack, but with no apparent pictures of the shrapnel in situ at the blast site. A Hezbollah spokesperson, Mohammad Afif, later said that the group was not responsible for the attack on Majdal Shams. instead stating it was caused by an Israeli Iron Dome projectile launched in the course of countering Hezbollah rocket fire aiming for Israeli military sites. Additionally, Al-Mayadeen, a Lebanese outlet with close ties to Hezbollah, stated that the blast site was inconsistent with a Falaq-1, which it said would have left a larger impact crater; According to US intelligence, there were no doubts that Hezbollah was responsible but it was not certain if Hezbollah intentionally targeted the site or misfired. == Aftermath ==

meeting with the Mayor of Majdal Shams, , at the site of the attack Following the attack, Israel's military stated that it had launched strikes against Hezbollah weapon storage and infrastructure in Lebanon, specifically in the areas of Chabriha, Burj el-Shemali, Beqaa, Kafr Kila, Khiam, Rab El Thalathine, and Tayr Harfa. 28 July On 28 July, Lebanon's foreign minister, Abdallah Bou Habib, said that the Lebanese government had requested that the US urge Israel to show restraint, and added that the US had also asked Lebanon to relay a message to Hezbollah to exercise restraint. Hezbollah, reported to be on high alert, preemptively evacuated key sites in southern Lebanon and the Beqaa Valley in anticipation of a possible Israeli response. , at the soccer field in Majdal Shams, meeting with Druze community leader Sheikh Mowafaq Tarif, local council representatives, and senior IDF officers The IDF Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi, visited Majdal Shams to assess the situation and discuss with Sheikh Mowafaq Tarif, the leader of the Druze community in Israel. A spokesman for the Israeli Foreign Ministry said that the situation could be resolved without broader conflict if Hezbollah complied with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, which was intended to end the 2006 Lebanon War and required that they withdraw behind the Litani River. Over 300,000 shekels were raised on Sunday by 2,065 people for families in Majdal Shams who lost children in a rocket attack. Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who came to visit the site of the attack, was berated by local residents who called him a "criminal" and a "murderer". Some Druze residents of the Golan Heights called on Israel to take decisive action against Hezbollah. 29 July , at the monument in Majdal Shams in honor of Sultan Al-Atrash, along with photos of the victims On 29 July, local residents issued a statement were they rejected any retaliation. Flights to and from Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport faced significant cancellations and delays. Major airlines, including Air France, Lufthansa, and Swiss, suspended flights due to security concerns. The rocket strike has heightened fears of a broader conflict, as Hezbollah denied responsibility. Beirut airport's operations were further affected by insurance-related issues and increased cross-border hostilities. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the site of the attack and was met with 200 protestors yelling "He is the enemy of all of us" and "murderer". Some of the protestors held up signs calling Netanyahu a "war criminal". A viral post titled "All Eyes on Majdal Shams" depicted children in a soccer field through an AI-generated image, similar to the "All Eyes on Rafah" campaign. The image was shared by Israeli Jews and Arabs. Germany and Norway have advised their citizens to leave Lebanon, while the US and Denmark have reiterated their recommendations against travel to the country. 30 July A Hezbollah rocket attack killed one Israeli citizen in kibbutz HaGoshrim and wounded three more. On the evening of 30 July Israel retaliated with a UAV strike on Beirut, targeting Fuad Shukr (also known as Al-Hajj Mohsen), a senior adviser to Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. Israel also killed 3 civilians, including two children, and wounded 80 others in the attack. Shukr was previously named by the IDF as a commander of the group's precision missile project. He was also wanted by the United States for his involvement in the 1983 Beirut barracks bombings. The Jewish Agency for Israel, Jewish Federations of North America, and Keren Hayesod announced an emergency aid donation of 600,000 NIS to Majdal Shams on 31 July, stating, "We see the Druze community as family." In the Quneitra Governorate, in southern Syria, a funeral gathering was held for the victims of the attack. Further developments Hezbollah vowed to retaliate for the July 30 assassination of Fuad Shukr. On August 25, Israel partially thwarted what Hezbollah characterized as "the first phase" of the retaliation with a preemptive strike against Hezbollah's launch sites. On October 2, 2024 Israel killed Khader Shahabiya in an airstrike. Israel claimed that Shahabiya was behind the attack in Majdal Shams as well as other attacks in the Mount Dov region. In February 2026, the Jerusalem Post reported that the families of the victims filed an 80 million shekel (approximately $25 million) lawsuit against Hezbollah. == Reactions ==

Israel • : President Isaac Herzog condemned the attack as a "terrible and shocking disaster". He described the attack as a brutal act targeting children who were simply playing soccer, stating, "They did not return." Herzog urged the international community to not remain silent against Hezbollah's actions, which he linked to Iranian influence, asserting that Israel would "firmly defend its citizens and its sovereignty." • Foreign Minister Israel Katz declared that the attack had crossed all red lines and warned of a potential full-scale war with Hezbollah and Lebanon. He stated that while the conflict would come at a significant cost, the goal is to decisively defeat Hezbollah and restore peace, and he has directed the Foreign Ministry to prepare a global campaign to support actions in Lebanon. Lebanon • : The government of Lebanon issued a statement urging "immediate cessation of hostilities on all fronts" and condemned attacks on civilians but did not mention Majdal Shams. • The Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party issued a statement: "Through this aggression, Zionist entity tried to mislead world public opinion by accusing Lebanese Hezbollah resistance of committing this act with the aim of igniting sedition". They also condemned Israel for the attack. Druze communities The attack provoked widespread outrage among Druze in Israel, Lebanon and Syria. Golan Heights The Druze community in the Golan Heights sent a letter to the Israeli government asking that no government ministers attend the funeral. The funeral was kept non-political, with no national flags, and a Druze resident stated "Many Druze feel angry and do not want to be fuel in this war for any side". A local paramedic stated "for sure, it was not targeting Majdal Shams. There are many Israeli military bases around the town. I expect this threat was heading their way". Other reports stated the local Druze rejected retaliation and Israel's attempt to politicize the tragedy. The people of Majdals Shams issued a statements where they said: "The Golan rejects any official incitement and the attempt to exploit the name of Majdal Shams as a political platform at the expense of our children’s blood," - "We reject the shedding of a single drop of blood under the pretext of avenging our children." Israel Sheikh Mowafaq Tarif, the spiritual leader of the Druze community in Israel, condemned the attack, stating: "We are in great shock from the horrific massacre in the Druze village, an atrocious and murderous terrorist attack that struck innocent children playing soccer. The sight of the children's shattered bodies strewn across the grass is indescribable." He further stated, "a civilized country cannot allow the continuous harm to its citizens and residents." He also issued condolences to the affected families and "to the entire population of the occupied Syrian Golan." Some Lebanese Druze activists condemned the Majdal Shams massacre, expressing profound grief and intensifying their opposition to Hezbollah. They criticized political leaders for perceived alliances with the group and stressed the need for unity among Druze communities across the region. Syria 20 people protested in Syrian Druze city of as-Suwayda against Hezbollah, shouting: "Listen, motherland. May God bless our people in the occupied Golan. We can afford to be silent when children sleep quietly, but when they die in a treacherous bombing delivered by the party of the devil, we must raise our voices against the gang that rules here." Worldwide Governments • : The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated strong condemnation for "the cowardly attack by Hezbollah" and solidarity with Israel and support for Israel's right to legitimate defense; while pointing the 30th anniversary of the AMIA bombing in Argentina which was also reportedly perpetrated by Hezbollah, to once again reiterate its strongest condemnation of all forms of terrorism. • : Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly condemned the attack and offered condolences to the victims' families and the Druze community. She also worried about an escalation in the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah and demanded that Iran and its proxies avoid further destabilizing the region. Joly released a statement on X holding Hezbollah responsible for the attack. • : High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell said: "I strongly condemn this bloodbath. We need an independent international investigation into this unacceptable incident. We urge all parties to exercise utmost restraint and avoid further escalation." He also described "shocking images from the soccer field in the Druze town of Majdal Shams." • : Foreign Secretary David Lammy condemned the attack, expressed concern about an escalation of the conflict and called on Hezbollah to cease its attacks. • : The US condemned the attack and reaffirmed its support for Israel against Hezbollah. It also voiced concerns that it could spark an escalation of the Israel–Hezbollah conflict. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said: "Every indication is that indeed the rocket was from Hezbollah. We stand by Israel's right to defend its citizens from terrorist attacks." Media Gideon Levy, writing for Haaretz, criticized the lack of shock in Israeli media and the IDF over the deaths of thousands of children in Gaza since 7 October. He highlighted the quick labeling of children killed in Majdal Shams as "murdered Israelis", even though not all were Israeli citizens, contrasting it with the silence over Gaza's casualties. According to an analysis by The Jerusalem Post, Hezbollah and Lebanese officials are attempting to distance themselves from responsibility for the Majdal Shams massacre, despite growing evidence linking Hezbollah to the attack. Lebanese authorities and Hezbollah representatives have issued denials and spread misinformation to avoid backlash, with claims ranging from blaming Israeli anti-rocket interceptors to outright rejecting involvement. These actions are aimed at preventing further conflict and mitigating the negative impact on Hezbollah's image, particularly in light of the group's history of targeting civilians and the potential for unrest among the Druze community in Lebanon and Syria. == See also ==