Israel has attacked Hezbollah targets and threatened further retaliation for a rocket strike that killed 12 people. This comes amidst signals of Israel's openness to a proposed Gaza truce, which might also ease tensions on the Lebanese front. The deadly incident in Golan Heights on Saturday marked the worst single-incident of civilian losses for Israel since Hamas's assault on October 7, which saw Hamas storming Israeli villages and army bases.
The rocket strike, which hit a football pitch, resulted in the deaths of children aged 10 to 16. Israel claims that Hezbollah fired a Falaq-1 Iranian rocket, though the Iran-backed group denies any connection to the attack. The incident has heightened fears of a broader conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to exact a "heavy price" from Hezbollah and has convened multiple meetings with his security cabinet and military chiefs to determine their next steps. The United States has condemned the rocket attack, urging restraint from all sides, while Iran has warned that any new military "adventures" by Israel in Lebanon could lead to "unforeseen consequences."
Despite Israel's firm stance against compromising with groups it considers sworn to its destruction and labeled as terrorists in the West, there is growing domestic pressure for hostage recovery. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), relying heavily on conscripts and reservists, are experiencing fatigue.
Reports indicate that some senior Israeli officials support a ceasefire within Gaza, after which Hezbollah has promised not to attack Israel. Israel's war against Hamas began after the October 7 attacks, which killed 1,200 people in southern Israel and saw 250 hostages taken to Gaza. The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza reports that the death toll there has exceeded 39,000.
Hezbollah, considered far stronger than Hamas before October 7, possesses more fighters, missiles, and drones. A potential war could be devastating for both Lebanon and Israel, according to officials from both countries.
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