<p>The United States is leading a diplomatic dash to deter Israel from striking Lebanon's capital Beirut or major civil infrastructure in response to a deadly rocket attack on the Golan Heights, five people with knowledge of the drive said.</p>

<p>Washington is racing to avert a full-blown war between Israel and the Iranian-backed Lebanese movement Hezbollah after the attack on the Israeli-occupied Golan killed 12 youths at the weekend, according to the five people who include Lebanese and Iranian officials plus Middle Eastern and European diplomats.</p>

<p>Israel and the US have blamed Hezbollah for the rocket strike, though the group has denied responsibility.</p>

<p>The focus of the high-speed diplomacy has been to constrain Israel's response by urging it against targeting densely populated Beirut, the southern suburbs of the city that form Hezbollah's heartland, or key infrastructure like airports and bridges, said the sources who requested anonymity to discuss confidential details that haven't been previously reported.</p>

<p>Lebanon's deputy parliament speaker Elias Bou Saab, who said he had been in contact with US mediator Amos Hochstein since Saturday's Golan attack, told Reuters Israel could avert the threat of major escalation by sparing the capital and its environs.</p>

<p>"If they avoid civilians and they avoid Beirut and its suburbs, then their attack could be well calculated," he said.</p>

<p>Israeli officials have said that their country wants to hurt Hezbollah but not drag the region into all-out war. The two Middle Eastern and European diplomats said Israel hadn't made any commitment to avoiding strikes on Beirut, its suburbs or civil infrastructure.</p>

<p><strong>Watch |&nbsp;Trump rally shooter was spotted by cops nearly 100 minutes before shooting, says report</strong></p>

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<p>The US State Department said it wouldn't comment on the specifics of diplomatic conversations, though it was seeking a "durable solution" to end all cross-border fire. "Our support for Israel's security is ironclad and unwavering against all Iran-backed threats, including Hezbollah," a spokesperson told Reuters.</p>

<p>White House spokesperson John Kirby told reporters that Israel had every right to respond to the Golan strike, but that nobody wanted a broader war. "As for conversations over the weekend, you bet we've had them and we had them at multiple levels," he added. "But I'm not going to detail the guts of those conversations."</p>

<p>The Israeli Prime Minister's office didn't respond to a request for comment, while Hezbollah declined to comment.</p>

<p>The five people with knowledge of the diplomatic push over the past two days have either been involved in the conversations or briefed on them. They said the efforts aimed to achieve a calibrated approach similar to that which contained April's exchange of missile and drone attacks between Israel and Iran, sparked by an Israeli strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus.</p>

<p>An Iranian official said the United States had also conveyed messages to Tehran at least three times since Saturday's attack on the Golan Heights, "warning that escalating the situation would be detrimental to all parties."</p>

<p>Hezbollah is the most powerful of Iran's "Axis of Resistance" network of regional proxy groups and is allied with the Palestinian group Hamas. It has been trading fire with the Israeli military across Lebanon's southern border since the Gaza war erupted last October.</p>

<p>During a 2006 war, the last time Israel and Hezbollah fought a major conflict, Israeli forces bombed Beirut's southern suburbs, known as the Dahiya, hitting Hezbollah-affiliated buildings as well as residential towers. Beirut airport was attacked and put out of action, and across Lebanon bridges, roads, petrol stations and other infrastructure were destroyed.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-pledges-500-million-in-military-aid-to-philippines-as-tensions-with-china-escalate-745538">US pledges $500 million in military aid to Philippines as tensions with China escalate</a></strong></p>

<p>A French diplomat told Reuters that since the Golan attack, Paris had also been involved in passing messages between Israel and Hezbollah to de-escalate the situation.</p>

<p>France has historic ties with Lebanon, which was under French mandate from 1920 till it gained independence in 1943. Paris has maintained close ties since then and has about 20,000 citizens in the country, many dual nationals.</p>

<p>The French foreign ministry didn't respond to Reuters requests for comment.</p>

<p>The Israeli Homefront Command, a military unit responsible for protecting civilians, has not changed any of its instructions to citizens so far, an indication that the military is not expecting imminent danger from Hezbollah or any other group.</p>

<p>On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's security cabinet, which comprises 10 ministers and has dictated policy on the Gaza war and Hezbollah, authorized the premier and the defence minister to "decide on the manner and timing of the response" against Hezbollah.</p>

<p>This decision, coupled with the abstention of Netanyahu's far-right coalition partners - Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir - suggests that Israel has opted for a response short of the all-out war that some politicians have advocated for.</p>

<p>Following the Golan attack, Smotrich had issued a strong statement demanding robust action. He posted on X: "For the death of children, (Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan) Nasrallah should pay with his head. All of Lebanon should pay."</p>

<p><em>(Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION&nbsp;audience.</em><em>)</em></p>


The United States is leading a diplomatic dash to deter Israel from striking Lebanon's capital Beirut or major civil infrastructure in response to a deadly rocket attack on the Golan Heights, five people with knowledge of the drive said.

The United States is leading a diplomatic dash to deter Israel from striking Lebanon's capital Beirut or major civil infrastructure in response to a deadly rocket attack on the Golan Heights, five people with knowledge of the drive said. Washington is racing to avert a full-blown war between Israel and the Iranian-backed Lebanese movement Hezbollah after the attack on the Israeli-occupied Golan killed 12 youths at the weekend, according to the five people who include Lebanese and Iranian officials plus Middle Eastern and European diplomats. Israel and the US have blamed Hezbollah for the rocket strike, though the group has denied responsibility. The focus of the high-speed diplomacy has been to constrain Israel's response by urging it against targeting densely populated Beirut, the southern suburbs of the city that form Hezbollah's heartland, or key infrastructure like airports and bridges, said the sources who requested anonymity to discuss confidential details that haven't been previously reported. Lebanon's deputy parliament speaker Elias Bou Saab, who said he had been in contact with US mediator Amos Hochstein since Saturday's Golan attack, told Reuters Israel could avert the threat of major escalation by sparing the capital and its environs. "If they avoid civilians and they avoid Beirut and its suburbs, then their attack could be well calculated," he said. Israeli officials have said that their country wants to hurt Hezbollah but not drag the region into all-out war. The two Middle Eastern and European diplomats said Israel hadn't made any commitment to avoiding strikes on Beirut, its suburbs or civil infrastructure. Watch | Trump rally shooter was spotted by cops nearly 100 minutes before shooting, says report × The US State Department said it wouldn't comment on the specifics of diplomatic conversations, though it was seeking a "durable solution" to end all cross-border fire. "Our support for Israel's security is ironclad and unwavering against all Iran-backed threats, including Hezbollah," a spokesperson told Reuters. White House spokesperson John Kirby told reporters that Israel had every right to respond to the Golan strike, but that nobody wanted a broader war. "As for conversations over the weekend, you bet we've had them and we had them at multiple levels," he added. "But I'm not going to detail the guts of those conversations." The Israeli Prime Minister's office didn't respond to a request for comment, while Hezbollah declined to comment. The five people with knowledge of the diplomatic push over the past two days have either been involved in the conversations or briefed on them. They said the efforts aimed to achieve a calibrated approach similar to that which contained April's exchange of missile and drone attacks between Israel and Iran, sparked by an Israeli strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus. An Iranian official said the United States had also conveyed messages to Tehran at least three times since Saturday's attack on the Golan Heights, "warning that escalating the situation would be detrimental to all parties." Hezbollah is the most powerful of Iran's "Axis of Resistance" network of regional proxy groups and is allied with the Palestinian group Hamas. It has been trading fire with the Israeli military across Lebanon's southern border since the Gaza war erupted last October. During a 2006 war, the last time Israel and Hezbollah fought a major conflict, Israeli forces bombed Beirut's southern suburbs, known as the Dahiya, hitting Hezbollah-affiliated buildings as well as residential towers. Beirut airport was attacked and put out of action, and across Lebanon bridges, roads, petrol stations and other infrastructure were destroyed. Also read: US pledges $500 million in military aid to Philippines as tensions with China escalate A French diplomat told Reuters that since the Golan attack, Paris had also been involved in passing messages between Israel and Hezbollah to de-escalate the situation. France has historic ties with Lebanon, which was under French mandate from 1920 till it gained independence in 1943. Paris has maintained close ties since then and has about 20,000 citizens in the country, many dual nationals. The French foreign ministry didn't respond to Reuters requests for comment. The Israeli Homefront Command, a military unit responsible for protecting civilians, has not changed any of its instructions to citizens so far, an indication that the military is not expecting imminent danger from Hezbollah or any other group. On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's security cabinet, which comprises 10 ministers and has dictated policy on the Gaza war and Hezbollah, authorized the premier and the defence minister to "decide on the manner and timing of the response" against Hezbollah. This decision, coupled with the abstention of Netanyahu's far-right coalition partners - Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir - suggests that Israel has opted for a response short of the all-out war that some politicians have advocated for. Following the Golan attack, Smotrich had issued a strong statement demanding robust action. He posted on X: "For the death of children, (Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan) Nasrallah should pay with his head. All of Lebanon should pay." (Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.)

US rushes to prevent Israel-Lebanon conflict after Golan Heights attack

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<p>Israeli officials said on Monday (July 29) that their country wants to hurt Hezbollah but not drag the Middle East into an all-out war,&nbsp;as Lebanon braced for retaliation after a rocket strike in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights killed 12 people. Israel blamed Hezbollah for the strike but the&nbsp;Iranian-backed Lebanese group denied any role.</p>

<p>Speaking to the news agency Reuters, the officials said that Israel was preparing&nbsp;for the possibility of a few days of fighting following Saturday's strike. The officials gave no further details about the plans for retaliation.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/golan-heights-attack-lebanons-beirut-airport-cancels-flights-amid-fears-of-israeli-attack-745159">Golan Heights attack: Lebanon's Beirut airport cancels flights amid fears of Israeli attack</a></strong></p>

<p>An Israeli diplomatic source, meanwhile, told the news agency, "The estimation is that the response will not lead to an all-out war.&nbsp;That would not be in our interest at this point."</p>

<h2><strong>'Our response will be harsh'</strong></h2>

<p>The remarks of the Israeli officials came after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that his country's response (to the Golan Heights attack) would be harsh.&nbsp;"The state of Israel will not and cannot let this pass," Prime Minister Netanyahu's office said in a statement on Monday.</p>

<p>Earlier, the <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-war-cabinet-approves-reprisal-for-golan-heights-attack-745238">Israeli security cabinet&nbsp;authorised Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant</a></strong> to decide on the manner and timing of a response to Saturday's strike.</p>

<p>Both Israel and Hezbollah&nbsp;have appeared at pains to avoid a full-scale war since they began trading blows in October following the outbreak of the Gaza war.&nbsp;Saturday's strike has increased concerns that the months of cross-border hostilities could spiral into a broader, more destructive war.</p>

<p>Reuters reported that an Israeli drone strike killed two Hezbollah fighters in southern Lebanon on Monday as well as&nbsp;three other people including an infant. These were the first fatalities in Lebanon&nbsp;since Saturday's incident.</p>

<p>Also on Monday, the Israeli military downed&nbsp;a drone that crossed from Lebanon into the Western Galilee area.</p>

<h2><strong>UN steps in to dial down tensions</strong></h2>

<p>The United Nations (UN) peacekeeping mission in south Lebanon said it had intensified contacts with Israeli&nbsp;and Lebanese authorities to dial down tensions.</p>

<p>"Nobody wants to start a wider conflict, but a miscalculation could trigger one. There is still space for a diplomatic solution," the peacekeeping mission's spokesperson Andrea Tenenti said.</p>

<h2><strong>US leading diplomatic dash to deter Israel from retaliating</strong></h2>

<p>The United States (US) has been leading a diplomatic dash to deter Israel from striking Lebanon's capital Beirut or major civil infrastructure, Reuters reported on Tuesday citing sources.</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;Golan heights attack: Hezbollah denies Israeli allegations</strong></p>

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<p>The focus of the high-speed diplomacy has been to constrain Israel's response by urging it against targeting Beirut and&nbsp;key infrastructure like airports and bridges.</p>

<p>While the US also blamed Hezbollah for the attack at Golan Heights,&nbsp;US&nbsp;Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in a phone call with Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Monday, emphasised the importance of preventing the escalation of the conflict.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Israeli officials said on Monday (July 29) that their country wants to hurt Hezbollah but not drag the Middle East into an all-out war, as Lebanon braced for retaliation after a rocket strike in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights killed 12 people.

Israeli officials said on Monday (July 29) that their country wants to hurt Hezbollah but not drag the Middle East into an all-out war, as Lebanon braced for retaliation after a rocket strike in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights killed 12 people. Israel blamed Hezbollah for the strike but the Iranian-backed Lebanese group denied any role. Speaking to the news agency Reuters, the officials said that Israel was preparing for the possibility of a few days of fighting following Saturday's strike. The officials gave no further details about the plans for retaliation. Also read | Golan Heights attack: Lebanon's Beirut airport cancels flights amid fears of Israeli attack An Israeli diplomatic source, meanwhile, told the news agency, "The estimation is that the response will not lead to an all-out war. That would not be in our interest at this point." 'Our response will be harsh' The remarks of the Israeli officials came after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that his country's response (to the Golan Heights attack) would be harsh. "The state of Israel will not and cannot let this pass," Prime Minister Netanyahu's office said in a statement on Monday. Earlier, the Israeli security cabinet authorised Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant to decide on the manner and timing of a response to Saturday's strike. Both Israel and Hezbollah have appeared at pains to avoid a full-scale war since they began trading blows in October following the outbreak of the Gaza war. Saturday's strike has increased concerns that the months of cross-border hostilities could spiral into a broader, more destructive war. Reuters reported that an Israeli drone strike killed two Hezbollah fighters in southern Lebanon on Monday as well as three other people including an infant. These were the first fatalities in Lebanon since Saturday's incident. Also on Monday, the Israeli military downed a drone that crossed from Lebanon into the Western Galilee area. UN steps in to dial down tensions The United Nations (UN) peacekeeping mission in south Lebanon said it had intensified contacts with Israeli and Lebanese authorities to dial down tensions. "Nobody wants to start a wider conflict, but a miscalculation could trigger one. There is still space for a diplomatic solution," the peacekeeping mission's spokesperson Andrea Tenenti said. US leading diplomatic dash to deter Israel from retaliating The United States (US) has been leading a diplomatic dash to deter Israel from striking Lebanon's capital Beirut or major civil infrastructure, Reuters reported on Tuesday citing sources. Also watch | Golan heights attack: Hezbollah denies Israeli allegations × The focus of the high-speed diplomacy has been to constrain Israel's response by urging it against targeting Beirut and key infrastructure like airports and bridges. While the US also blamed Hezbollah for the attack at Golan Heights, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in a phone call with Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Monday, emphasised the importance of preventing the escalation of the conflict. (With inputs from agencies)

Golan Heights attack: Israel says it 'wants to hurt Hezbollah but...'

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<p>The Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport&nbsp;in Lebanon on Monday (Jul&nbsp;29)&nbsp;cancelled or delayed flights&nbsp;as tensions escalated between Israel and Hezbollah.&nbsp;A rocket strike that killed 12 teenagers and children in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights on Saturday.</p>

<p>Israel blamed Hezbollah for the attack which has added to concerns that Israel and the&nbsp;Iran-backed group could engage in a full-scale war. Hezbollah has denied responsibility for the attack.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israeli-jets-bomb-hezbollah-targets-deep-in-lebanon-a-day-after-golan-heights-attack-744979">Israeli jets bomb Hezbollah targets deep in Lebanon a day after Golan Heights attack</a></strong></p>

<p>According to a report by the news agency Reuters, Lebanon's&nbsp;Middle East Airlines (MEA) said that the disruptions to its&nbsp;schedule were&nbsp;related to insurance risks. Lufthansa said&nbsp;it had suspended five routes to and from Beirut by the group's carriers Swiss International Air Lines, Eurowings, and Lufthansa up to and including July 30 "in an abundance of caution."</p>

<h2><strong>The flight cancellations</strong></h2>

<p>Citing&nbsp;Beirut airport's flight information board and&nbsp;tracking website Flightradar24, Reuters reported that&nbsp;Turkish Airlines also cancelled two flights overnight on Sunday. Meanwhile,&nbsp;Turkish Airlines subsidiary AJet, Greek carrier Aegean Airlines, and Ethiopian Air cancelled flights&nbsp;scheduled to land in Beirut on Monday.</p>

<p>The&nbsp;Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport is Lebanon's only airport and has been targeted in the country's civil war and previous fighting with Israel. Since the Gaza war began in October last year, Hezbollah and Israel have increased&nbsp;cross-border exchanges of fire.</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;Golan Heights attack: What would be Netanyahu's next move?</strong></p>

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<p>Lufthansa has already suspended night-time flights to and from Beirut for July due to "current developments" in the Middle East.</p>

<h2><strong>Israeli cabinet authorises govt to respond to Hezbollah strike</strong></h2>

<p>Israel's security cabinet on Sunday authorised Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government to respond to the rocket strike in Golan Heights which has been blamed on Hezbollah.</p>

<p>Israel has vowed retaliation against Hezbollah in&nbsp;Lebanon, and Israeli jets hit targets in southern&nbsp;Lebanon on Sunday.</p>

<p>In a statement, Prime Minister Netanyahu's office said that the security cabinet authorised the government to decide on the manner and timing of the response."</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


The Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport in Lebanon on Monday (Jul 29) cancelled or delayed flights as tensions escalated between Israel and Hezbollah. A rocket strike that killed 12 teenagers and children in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights on Saturday.

The Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport in Lebanon on Monday (Jul 29) cancelled or delayed flights as tensions escalated between Israel and Hezbollah. A rocket strike that killed 12 teenagers and children in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights on Saturday. Israel blamed Hezbollah for the attack which has added to concerns that Israel and the Iran-backed group could engage in a full-scale war. Hezbollah has denied responsibility for the attack. Also read | Israeli jets bomb Hezbollah targets deep in Lebanon a day after Golan Heights attack According to a report by the news agency Reuters, Lebanon's Middle East Airlines (MEA) said that the disruptions to its schedule were related to insurance risks. Lufthansa said it had suspended five routes to and from Beirut by the group's carriers Swiss International Air Lines, Eurowings, and Lufthansa up to and including July 30 "in an abundance of caution." The flight cancellations Citing Beirut airport's flight information board and tracking website Flightradar24, Reuters reported that Turkish Airlines also cancelled two flights overnight on Sunday. Meanwhile, Turkish Airlines subsidiary AJet, Greek carrier Aegean Airlines, and Ethiopian Air cancelled flights scheduled to land in Beirut on Monday. The Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport is Lebanon's only airport and has been targeted in the country's civil war and previous fighting with Israel. Since the Gaza war began in October last year, Hezbollah and Israel have increased cross-border exchanges of fire. Also watch | Golan Heights attack: What would be Netanyahu's next move? × Lufthansa has already suspended night-time flights to and from Beirut for July due to "current developments" in the Middle East. Israeli cabinet authorises govt to respond to Hezbollah strike Israel's security cabinet on Sunday authorised Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government to respond to the rocket strike in Golan Heights which has been blamed on Hezbollah. Israel has vowed retaliation against Hezbollah in Lebanon, and Israeli jets hit targets in southern Lebanon on Sunday. In a statement, Prime Minister Netanyahu's office said that the security cabinet authorised the government to decide on the manner and timing of the response." (With inputs from agencies)

Golan Heights attack: Lebanon's Beirut airport cancels flights amid fears of Israeli attack

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<p>Iran on Sunday (July 28) warned Israel&nbsp;that any new military "adventures" in Lebanon could lead to "unforeseen consequences," hours after&nbsp;a deadly rocket strike in the Israel-annexed Golan Heights blamed on Tehran-backed Hezbollah.</p>

<p>Iran Foreign Ministry spokesperson&nbsp;Nasser Kanani said, "Any ignorant action of the Zionist regime can lead to the broadening of the scope of instability, insecurity, and war in the region."</p>

<p>"Israel will be responsible for "the unforeseen consequences and reactions to such stupid behaviour," Foreign Minister Kanani added.</p>

<h2><strong>The attack on Golan Heights</strong></h2>

<p>Twelve people, including children, were killed when a rocket&nbsp;struck&nbsp;a football pitch in the Druze village of Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights.&nbsp;The Israeli ambulance service said 13 more people were wounded in the attack on the pitch, which was packed with children and teenagers at the time.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/golan-heights-rocket-attack-israeli-pm-netanyahu-says-his-country-wont-stay-silent-744879">Golan Heights rocket attack: Israeli PM Netanyahu says his country won't stay silent</a></strong></p>

<p>Footage posted on social media showed the moment the rocket hit. An air raid siren can be heard, followed by a big explosion and images of smoke rising.&nbsp;This was the deadliest strike&nbsp;in Israel or Israeli-annexed territory since the start of the conflict in Gaza.</p>

<h2><strong>Israel blames Hezbollah for strike</strong></h2>

<p>Israel blamed&nbsp;Hezbollah for the strike. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said,&nbsp;"I was shocked to see the horrific photos in the wake of Hezbollah's murderous attack in Majdal Shams. Among those who were murdered are young children who were playing soccer and others. All of our hearts are broken over these sights."</p>

<p><strong>Also watch: Will&nbsp;West Asia flare up now a full-blown war?</strong></p>

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<p>The foreign ministry, meanwhile, said that "Saturday's massacre constitutes the crossing of all red lines by Hezbollah. This is not an army fighting another army; rather, it is a terrorist organisation deliberately shooting at civilians."</p>

<h2><strong>Hezbollah denies responsibility</strong></h2>

<p>Hezbollah has denied responsibility for the deadly attack.</p>

<p>In a written statement, the Iran-back group said, "The Islamic Resistance has absolutely nothing to do with the incident and categorically denies all false allegations in this regard."</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p><strong><em>Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.</em></strong></p>


Iran on Sunday (July 28) warned Israel that any new military "adventures" in Lebanon could lead to "unforeseen consequences," hours after a deadly rocket strike in the Israel-annexed Golan Heights blamed on Tehran-backed Hezbollah.

Iran on Sunday (July 28) warned Israel that any new military "adventures" in Lebanon could lead to "unforeseen consequences," hours after a deadly rocket strike in the Israel-annexed Golan Heights blamed on Tehran-backed Hezbollah. Iran Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanani said, "Any ignorant action of the Zionist regime can lead to the broadening of the scope of instability, insecurity, and war in the region." "Israel will be responsible for "the unforeseen consequences and reactions to such stupid behaviour," Foreign Minister Kanani added. The attack on Golan Heights Twelve people, including children, were killed when a rocket struck a football pitch in the Druze village of Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights. The Israeli ambulance service said 13 more people were wounded in the attack on the pitch, which was packed with children and teenagers at the time. Also read: Golan Heights rocket attack: Israeli PM Netanyahu says his country won't stay silent Footage posted on social media showed the moment the rocket hit. An air raid siren can be heard, followed by a big explosion and images of smoke rising. This was the deadliest strike in Israel or Israeli-annexed territory since the start of the conflict in Gaza. Israel blames Hezbollah for strike Israel blamed Hezbollah for the strike. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, "I was shocked to see the horrific photos in the wake of Hezbollah's murderous attack in Majdal Shams. Among those who were murdered are young children who were playing soccer and others. All of our hearts are broken over these sights." Also watch: Will West Asia flare up now a full-blown war? × The foreign ministry, meanwhile, said that "Saturday's massacre constitutes the crossing of all red lines by Hezbollah. This is not an army fighting another army; rather, it is a terrorist organisation deliberately shooting at civilians." Hezbollah denies responsibility Hezbollah has denied responsibility for the deadly attack. In a written statement, the Iran-back group said, "The Islamic Resistance has absolutely nothing to do with the incident and categorically denies all false allegations in this regard." (With inputs from agencies) Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

Golan Heights attack: Iran warns of ‘unforeseen’ consequences if Israel attacks Lebanon in retaliation