Lebanon assured of limited Israeli response to Hezbollah’s attack
A view of the damage to the soccer field after a missile attack on the town of Majdal Shams in the northern Golan Heights on July 27, 2024. (Samir Abdalhade - Anadolu Agency)
Lebanon announced on Sunday that it has received international assurances that any Israeli strike in response to a recent rocket attack in the Druze town of Majdal Shams will be “limited,” as will Hezbollah’s response.
This follows accusations by Israel that Hezbollah was responsible for the Saturday attack, which killed 12 civilians, a claim which the Lebanese group has denied.
“We have received assurances from the concerned countries that the Israeli response will be limited, as will Hezbollah’s response,” Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib stated in an interview with the Lebanese Al-Jadeed channel.
He emphasized that Hezbollah, not the Lebanese state, is engaged in the conflict with Israel.
Israeli accusations and Lebanese response
While Israel has placed blame on Hezbollah for the attack, Bou Habib condemned any aggression against civilians. “It is both laughable and tragic that Israel, which has committed massacres in Gaza, wants to defend civilians in the occupied Syrian Golan,” he said. The Golan Heights, a region of strategic importance, has been occupied by Israel since the 1967 war and annexed in 1981, a move not recognized by the United Nations.
Following a four-hour emergency meeting, the Israeli Security Cabinet authorized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant to decide the manner and timing of any attacks on Hezbollah.
US stance on escalation
“The United States does not support expanding the war, but if Israel wants to do so, America will not stop it and will not halt its supply of weapons,” Bou Habib added, highlighting the U.S. position on the conflict’s potential escalation.
What happened in Majdal Shams?
On July 27 at 6:18 p.m. (local time), alarms sounded in Majdal Shams following a rocket barrage to the north. A projectile then hit and exploded at a soccer field in the town. Hezbollah claimed the strike was caused by an Israeli Iron Dome projectile intended to counter Hezbollah rocket fire aimed at Israeli military sites.
