At least 10 people, including children, were killed in a rocket attack on a football field in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights. The Iran-backed group Hezbollah claimed responsibility for the attack, stating it was in retaliation for Israeli strikes in Lebanon. Israeli intelligence, however, pointed to Hezbollah as the perpetrator of the attack. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed retaliation, calling it an “all-out war.”
The Golan Heights, captured by Israel from Syria in the 1967 war and annexed in 1981, is mainly inhabited by Druze people who rejected Israeli citizenship. Tensions between Israel and Hezbollah have escalated since the outbreak of fighting in Gaza in October, resulting in daily exchanges of fire.
Ceasefire talks involving the US, Egypt, Qatar, and Israel are scheduled in Italy on Sunday. CIA Director Bill Burns is expected to meet with officials to discuss ongoing negotiations. Israel and Hamas reportedly agree on a ceasefire deal proposed by US President Joe Biden, with Netanyahu vowing to continue until “total victory” over Hamas is achieved.
However, these talks may be complicated by an Israeli airstrike in Gaza that resulted in the death of at least 30 Palestinians seeking refuge in a girls’ school in Deir al-Balah. The situation remains volatile, raising concerns of a broader conflagration in the region.
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