MOKPE ANITA
Israel's security cabinet has called upon Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his defense minister to determine the course and timing of a response to a fatal rocket assault. Both Israel and the US have attributed the attack to the Lebanese Shia militant group Hezbollah, despite Hezbollah's denial of any involvement.
The urgent meeting followed a strike on the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights on Saturday evening, which killed 12 Druze children and teenagers. This incident marks the deadliest cross-border conflict in months, raising fears that the contained hostilities could escalate into a full-scale war.
Western governments have called for Israel to exercise restraint. The White House stated it has been in "continuous discussions with Israeli and Lebanese counterparts" since the attack and is working on a diplomatic solution to end the violence along the Blue Line, the unofficial border between Israel and Lebanon.
On Monday, a reported Israeli drone strike near the Lebanese town of Shaqra, close to the Israeli border, killed two people. Israel has not commented on this report.
In Majdal Shams, the funerals of the young victims were held on Sunday, with thousands of mourners attending. The attack has caused widespread outrage across Israel and the Druze community. About 110,000 Druze also live in Israel.
Netanyahu cut short his US visit to return to Israel after the attack. He met with defense officials before convening the security cabinet on Sunday. The cabinet authorized Netanyahu and the defense minister to decide on the response to Hezbollah.
In a call to Sheikh Muafak Ṭarif, the spiritual leader of Israel’s Druze community, Netanyahu vowed that Hezbollah would "pay a heavy price." The Israeli military identified the rocket as a Hezbollah Falaq rocket with a 53kg warhead, designed to cause civilian casualties.
Hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah have increased since Hezbollah fired rockets at Israeli positions following Hamas's deadly attack on Israel on October 7. Hezbollah claims to act in support of the Palestinians.
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