Golan Heights, Israel – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a stern warning on Monday, promising a severe response to a Hezbollah strike that claimed the lives of 12 children in the Druze village of Majdal Shams.
His remarks come amid a scramble by the international community to prevent a third Lebanon war and calls for restraint from both parties.
“Our response will come, and it will be severe,” Netanyahu stated during his visit to the Golan Heights village that was struck on Saturday. “The State of Israel will not, and cannot, ignore this,” he asserted.
The Israeli security cabinet convened for over three hours late Sunday, deliberating on an appropriate response to the deadly attack. Netanyahu, along with Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, was authorized to take action against Hezbollah.
The attack, which utilized an Iranian-made rocket loaded with 50 kilograms of explosives, marks a significant escalation in cross-border violence.
The United States is leading diplomatic efforts to deter Israel from targeting Beirut or major civilian infrastructure in Lebanon.
Diplomatic sources indicate that U.S. officials have been in continuous contact with Lebanese and Iranian counterparts to mitigate the potential for further escalation.
Lebanon’s Deputy Parliament Speaker Elias Bou Saab emphasized that Israel could prevent a major escalation by avoiding attacks on Beirut and its suburbs.
“If they avoid civilians and they avoid Beirut and its suburbs, then their attack could be well calculated,” Bou Saab told Reuters.
An Iranian official disclosed that the U.S. had conveyed multiple messages to Tehran since the Golan Heights attack, warning that escalation would be detrimental to all parties involved. U.S. National Security Communications Adviser John Kirby reiterated this stance on Monday, stating that there remains “time and space for diplomacy.”
He affirmed Israel’s right to self-defense but emphasized that the current focus is on diplomatic solutions rather than military intervention.
“No nation should have to live with the threats that the Israeli people are having to live with – right next door,” Kirby said. “There is no reason why the weekend attack should lead to an all-out war.”
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian warned of “serious consequences” for Israel if it launched an attack on Lebanon. In a phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron, Pezeshkian did not elaborate on the potential repercussions.
Macron urged Iran to halt its support for destabilizing players and to de-escalate its nuclear program in compliance with international regulations.
In Majdal Shams, Netanyahu, accompanied by Druze religious leader Sheikh Muafak Tarif and Shin Bet head Ronen Bar, met with local leaders to express solidarity and share in the community’s grief.
“We came here today to Majdal Shams to express our deep solidarity and our profound shock over the atrocity that took place here. This is a terrible tragedy,” Netanyahu told the community.
“The heart breaks at the terrible tragedy. We embrace the families that are now enduring indescribable suffering. These children are our children; they are the children of us all.”
Netanyahu highlighted the heavy toll the Druze community has paid in the ongoing conflict, referencing the lives lost on Israel’s northern and southern fronts.
“We are brothers. We have a covenant of life, but unfortunately, it is also a covenant for moments of bereavement and grief,” he stated. He urged the community to remain resilient, despite the attacks by what he termed the “evil axis of Iran and Hezbollah.”
The UN peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon has intensified efforts to mediate between Israel and Lebanese authorities.
“Nobody wants to start a wider conflict, but a miscalculation could trigger one. There is still space for a diplomatic solution,” spokesperson Andrea Tenenti said.
Flights at Beirut’s International Airport were disrupted on Monday, with many canceled or delayed. Jordan’s national airline, Royal Jordanian, suspended its flights to Beirut for Monday and Tuesday, according to a statement broadcast on Jordanian TV.
Defense Minister Gallant, speaking with U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, described the attack as a significant escalation due to the use of an Iranian rocket. Gallant underscored the grave threat posed by such advanced weaponry in Hezbollah’s arsenal.
Despite Netanyahu’s reassurances, his visit to Majdal Shams was met with anger from local residents, frustrated by what they perceived as inadequate security measures. Spectators chanted “killer” and called on the Prime Minister to “go home.”
The international community remains on edge, with various diplomatic channels working tirelessly to prevent further bloodshed. As Netanyahu and Gallant prepare their response, the world watches anxiously, hoping for a resolution that avoids plunging the region into another devastating conflict.