Hezbollah rocket kills 11 children, injures over 20 in Majdal Shams

“Ten people in serious condition are being evacuated via Israel Air Force helicopters and MDA first responders. Initial reports from the scene were very difficult; they were scenes out of a battlefield,” Magen David Adom (MDA) emergency service Director Eli Bin. The injured, aged 10-20, are receiving treatment at local clinics. At least five of them were in critical condition

"We arrived at the area and saw damage and belongings set on fire," Idan Avshalom, a senior MDA paramedic, described the scene. "The injured were lying on the grass, and the scenes were difficult to watch. We began treating the injured immediately. Some of them were evacuated to local clinics. The injured are still receiving medical attention."

Nasser, a resident of Majdal Shams, recounted the moment of impact to Ynet. "This is the first time we were hit. There was a siren; I didn't have time to cover my head with my hands when the explosion happened,” he said.

"Some children who were injured have no chance of being saved. This war needs to end. They’re all little kids, playing around with scooters and bicycles, playing soccer. No one knows where their children are; no one is allowed to come near the area. There were over 30 ambulances and many Magen David Adom teams here. I've never been in such a situation in my life."

Another local claimed that the Iron Dome missile defense system was not activated.

Foreign Minister Israel Katz said that the Hezbollah attack crossed all red lines and would be met with an appropriate response. "We are approaching the moment of full-scale war with Hezbollah and Lebanon," Katz said.

"We will pay a price on both the front and the home front, but by the end of the war, Nasrallah and Hezbollah will be crushed, and Lebanon will suffer severely. We will restore peace and security to the northern communities. I have instructed the Foreign Ministry to prepare for a comprehensive campaign worldwide to gain legitimacy for action in Lebanon."

The spiritual leader of the Druze community, Sheikh Mowafaq Tarif, condemned the attack. "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 said.

"A civilized country cannot allow the continuous harm to its citizens and residents. This has been the reality for nine months in the northern communities. Tonight, it crossed every possible red line."

"A short while ago, sirens sounded in the area of Majdal Shams. One projectile was identified crossing from Lebanon toward the area. A hit was identified in the area. Injuries were reported. The IDF, in cooperation with the MDA, are at the scene, evacuating those injured," the army said in a statement.

Hezbollah-affiliated Lebanese outlet Al Mayadeen reported that the terrorist group's latest rocket barrage to northern Israel, which included the rocket that hit Majdal Shams, comprised over 100 munitions and lasted for over an hour. This followed the elimination of an operative of the terror organization's elite Radwan force in Lebanon.

Senior Hezbollah official Mohammad Afif told Reuters on Saturday that the terror group was not responsible for the strike on Majdal Shams, a claim the IDF dismissed.

"According to an IDF situational assessment and the intelligence in our possession, the rocket launch toward Majdal Shams was carried out by the Hezbollah terrorist organization," the military said in a statement. "The Hezbollah terrorist organization is behind the rocket launch at a soccer field in Majdal Shams which caused multiple civilian casualties, including children, earlier this evening."

Earlier on Saturday, the Iran-backed terror group reported that four of its operatives were killed in strikes in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah has officially confirmed that 383 of its members have been killed since the start of the war in Gaza on October 7, although Israeli assessments believe the number to be higher.