Rocket attack in Israel’s occupied Golan Heights increases death toll to 12

The death toll from a Saturday rocket attack on the village of Mecdel Shams in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights has risen to 12, according to Israeli military sources.

The Israeli army reported that the attack targeted a football field in Mecdel Shams, a village predominantly inhabited by the Druze community. The Israeli emergency service, Red David Star, also noted that the attack resulted in 35 injuries, 17 of which are critical.

In an official statement, the Israeli army identified the rocket as an Iranian-made missile, asserting that such weaponry is exclusively in Hezbollah’s arsenal. Avichay Adraee, the Israeli military spokesperson, confirmed on social media that Hezbollah was responsible for the attack, stating, “No other organization in Lebanon possesses this type of missile.”

Adraee also claimed that the attack was orchestrated by Ali Mohammed Yahya, a field commander for Hezbollah, who is allegedly in charge of a launch site in the Shebaa region.

Previously, it was reported that the rocket strike had killed 11 people, including children, and injured 24 others, six of whom were critically wounded. The Israeli military asserted, based on intelligence and assessments, that the rocket was launched from northern Shebaa in southern Lebanon and held Hezbollah accountable.

Hezbollah has denied involvement in the attack, refuting any connection to the incident in Mecdel Shams.

In response to the attack, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated, “Israel will not let this deadly attack go unnoticed. Hezbollah will pay a heavy price that it has not yet paid.”