Incident in Majdal Shams: A Rocket Attack and Rising Tensions

A report by Yazbek Wehbe, English adaptation by Nadine Sassine

In the Druze town of Majdal Shams, located in the Golan Heights, which Israel captured from Syria in 1967, hundreds were present in a football field when a rocket struck, causing an explosion that killed twelve young people and children.

Israel has determined that the rocket, which it claims was an Iranian-made Falaq-1 with a 50-kilogram explosive warhead, was launched from the vicinity of Shebaa. It named Ali Mohammed Yahya as the responsible party, asserting that only Hezbollah possesses such rockets. However, Hezbollah issued a statement vehemently denying any connection to the alleged attack on Majdal Shams.

Reuters reported that two security sources indicated Hezbollah was on high alert and had evacuated some positions in southern and eastern Lebanon. Hezbollah told LBCI that it never remains silent about any operation it conducts against Israel, no matter how small. Hence, its denial stands firm, noting that there were contacts urging the party not to escalate if Israel responded violently. Hezbollah's response was to wait and see Israel's actions before deciding on their course of action.

Meanwhile, the government issued a statement condemning acts of violence against civilians. Though the statement did not specify the perpetrator, it called for an immediate cessation of hostilities on all fronts.

Fearing the situation could spiral out of control, rapid communications occurred on multiple fronts, especially involving the five permanent members of the UN Security Council. US envoy Amos Hochstein contacted several Lebanese officials, including Speaker Berri, Prime Minister Mikati, former leader of the Socialist Party Walid Jumblatt, and Army Commander General Joseph Aoun.

Government sources told LBCI that communications continued until dawn, especially with Hochstein, and that there was significant U.S. pressure on Israel to avoid escalation. Lebanese officials informed Hochstein that no Lebanese faction, including Hezbollah, desired war.

Sources further revealed that Lebanon understood from the contacts that neither the Republican nor Democratic parties in the United States encouraged Netanyahu to embark on any military adventure, warning him against expanding the conflict on the Lebanese front.

Caretaker Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib told Reuters that the United States requested the Lebanese government to convey a message to Hezbollah urging restraint. Lebanon, in turn, called on the US to press Israel to exercise restraint, warning that any Israeli attack on Lebanon would lead to a regional war.

In a joint statement, UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Janine Hennis-Plasschaert and UNIFIL Commander General Aroldo Lázaro expressed their condemnation of the killing of the young civilians in Majdal Shams. They urged all parties to exercise maximum restraint to avoid sparking a broader conflict that could plunge the entire region into an unimaginable catastrophe.

Efforts are intensifying to prevent further deterioration. Will they succeed in yielding positive results?