Hezbollah and Israel have been trading fire in areas along the Lebanon-Israel border and Saturday’s attack fanned fears of a full-blown war between the adversaries.
“The Hezbollah terrorist organization is behind the rocket launch at a soccer field in Majdal Shams which caused multiple civilian casualties, including children,” the Israel Defense Forces said in a post on X late Saturday. The IDF said it was preparing a response to the rocket attack.
In addition to the 11 deaths, Israel’s emergency services said 19 more people were injured in the assault, Reuters reported.
“We witnessed great destruction when we arrived at the soccer field, as well as items that were on fire. There were casualties on the grass and the scene was gruesome,” Idan Avshalom, a medic with the Magen David Adom ambulance service, was quoted as saying by Reuters.
Hezbollah chief spokesman Mohammed Afif told the Associated Press that the group “categorically denies carrying out an attack on Majdal Shams.”
But Israeli Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, an IDF spokesperson, said on X that “reliable intelligence information available to the IDF” indicated that Hezbollah was behind the attack.
