Israel strikes Hezbollah targets in Lebanon following deadly attack in Golan heights

Israel's air force launched strikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon on July  28, following a deadly rocket attack in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights that killed 12 children and young adults.

The attack, which took place on a football pitch in the Druze town of Majdal Shams, is the deadliest incident in the region since October, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have attributed the rocket strike to Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militant group, though Hezbollah has denied any involvement. The IDF claimed the airstrikes targeted "terror targets" including weapons caches and infrastructure "deep inside Lebanese territory."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, cutting short his U.S. visit, vowed that Hezbollah would "pay a heavy price," while IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari accused the group of using an Iranian-made Falaq-1 rocket, which he stated is exclusively owned by Hezbollah.

The escalating violence raises concerns of a broader conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, particularly in light of the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. Iran has warned Israel against further military actions in Lebanon, citing potential "unforeseen consequences."

Funerals for the victims, aged between 10 and 16, were held in Majdal Shams, where thousands of mourners gathered. The Druze community leader, Sheikh Mowafaq Tarif, condemned the attack as a "horrific massacre."