What happened?
• A rocket attack launched from an area in southern Lebanon controlled by Hezbollah killed Druze children and teenagers aged 10-16 while they were playing soccer in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights town of Majdal Shams. [bbc.com, nytimes.com, washingtontimes.com, algemeiner.com, commondreams.org, rbc.ru, iz.ru, bloomberg.com, timesofisrael.com, jpost.com, ynetnews.com, i24news.tv]
• Israel blamed Hezbollah for the strike that killed 12 and injured 19 others. Hezbollah denied responsibility. [bbc.com, nytimes.com, washingtontimes.com, algemeiner.com, commondreams.org, rbc.ru, iz.ru, bloomberg.com, timesofisrael.com, jpost.com, ynetnews.com, i24news.tv]
• Israel vowed retaliation against Hezbollah, hitting targets in southern Lebanon following the rocket attack. [timesofisrael.com, jpost.com, ynetnews.com, i24news.tv]
• The Israeli military cabinet granted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant authority to decide on the response to the Hezbollah attack. [gazeta.ru, hurriyetdailynews.com, timesofisrael.com, jpost.com]
• The US warned Israel against attacking Hezbollah targets in Beirut, stating it could lead to a situation spiraling out of control. [gazeta.ru]
• The international community, including the United Nations, called for restraint from both Israel and Lebanon to prevent further escalation and a region-wide catastrophe. [jpost.com, timesofisrael.com]
What is International media saying?
• Israel vowed to “hit the enemy hard” after the rocket fire from Lebanon killed civilians in Golan Heights, prompting Netanyahu to return from the US and warn Hezbollah. [hurriyetdailynews.com, gazeta.ru]
• Israel struck Hezbollah targets in Lebanon following the attack. Iran warned Israel against military actions in Lebanon, and the EU called for restraint and investigation. [commondreams.org, bbc.com, iz.ru]
• The Druze community hit by the rockets coming from Lebanon is a minority often facing discrimination in Israel. [townhall.com, washingtontimes.com]
• Netanyahu postponed transferring wounded and sick Palestinian children from Gaza to the UAE as retaliation for the rocket attack. [commondreams.org, bbc.com]
• Hezbollah denied involvement in the attack on Majdal-Shams, claiming they targeted Israeli military objects in response to Israeli airstrikes. Several countries condemned the attack. [rbc.ru]
• Hezbollah chief said cessation of cross-border attacks would follow a Gaza ceasefire. Syria denounced Israel’s accusations. [hurriyetdailynews.com, gazeta.ru]
• Ongoing ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas may influence both Hezbollah and Israel’s decision-making regarding retaliation. [bloomberg.com]
• Hezbollah is an Iran-backed Shia Islamist group in Lebanon, classified as a terrorist organization by Western states, accused of carrying out attacks primarily targeting Israeli and US interests. [bbc.com]
• Lebanon called for an immediate cessation of hostilities, while several countries had suspended flights to Beirut prior to these events. [hurriyetdailynews.com, gazeta.ru]
• Hezbollah has influenced Lebanese politics significantly, leading to power-sharing agreements and wielding veto power in government decisions. It remains a prominent political and military force in Lebanon. [bbc.com]
• Until 1967, the Golan Heights were part of Syria’s Quneitra Province. Israel seized the territory during the 1967 and 1973 wars and declared sovereignty in 1981, which was not recognized by the UN. [gazeta.ru]
• An Israeli official stated that Israel’s response will be firm but the country does not intend to escalate into a regional war. [gazeta.ru]
What is Arab media saying?
• The US Embassy in Beirut issued a warning to American citizens in to evacuate due to escalating tensions. [albawaba.com, albayan.ae, ifpnews.com, naharnet.com, mc-doualiya.com]
• Lebanon called for an international investigation or a meeting of the tripartite committee to determine responsibility for the strike that killed civilians in Majdal Shams. [naharnet.com, alhurra.com, almayadeen.net]
• Oil prices were affected by fears of escalating conflict in the Middle East, with Brent crude oil increasing and US WTI crude oil fluctuating. [arabnews.com, tasnimnews.com, alraimedia.com, naharnet.com, alhurra.com, albayan.ae]
• The risk of a dangerous escalation leading to a full-fledged war between Israel and Hezbollah is highlighted by Israeli military analysts. [alhurra.com]
• Lebanese parliament member Walid Jumblat denied Hezbollah’s involvement in the rocket attack and questioned the evidence provided. [naharnet.com, mc-doualiya.com, albawaba.com, albayan.ae]
What is pro-Israeli media saying?
• Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps provide Hezbollah with advanced weaponry, including precision-guided missiles and bombs with EMP warheads. [jns.org]
• The US recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, citing threats from Iran and Hezbollah in southern Syria. US officials condemned the Majdal Shams attack, stressing the Golan’s importance for Israeli security. [jpost.com, timesofisrael.com]
• Israel aims to respond harshly without sparking a regional war. The IDF prepares for days of fighting against Hezbollah. Netanyahu pledged a harsh response while emphasizing unity with the Druze. [timesofisrael.com, jpost.com]
• Suggestions for Israel’s response include targeting Hezbollah’s military infrastructure without harming civilians, disrupting Lebanese civilian infrastructure, and conducting airstrikes separate from the rocket attack response. [jns.org]
• Turkey’s Foreign Ministry compared Netanyahu to Hitler, implying Turkey might take action against Israel. Erdogan threatened to invade Israel in support of Palestinians. [timesofisrael.com, jpost.com]
• The IRGC has tested various missiles and drones through proxies like Hezbollah, whose leader has threatened to invade Israeli territory. [jns.org]
• The IDF Chief of Staff has confirmed the rocket type used and approved battle plans for the northern sector. [jns.org]
• The IDF released evidence showing the rocket’s flight path from southern Lebanon to Majdal Shams. [timesofisrael.com]
• Skirmishes in the region have resulted in civilian deaths on both sides, along with attacks from Syria. Hezbollah named 382 members killed by Israel. [timesofisrael.com]
• The Druze community feels excluded and doubts Israeli protection after the nation-state law. [jpost.com]
• Hezbollah vows to fight without limits if war with Israel breaks out, while Lebanese sources express concerns about war escalation and call for de-escalation. [i24news.tv]
• Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in 1967 and annexed it in 1981, while the United Nations annually calls for its return to Syria. [jpost.com]
• The conflict raised concerns about the risk of wider escalation, with Germany, Denmark, and the US issuing travel warnings and urging citizens to leave Lebanon. Israel evacuated communities in northern Israel. [timesofisrael.com, jpost.com]
• UN Resolution 1701 is considered worthless after the alleged child deaths, and Israel is considering its response to the rocket strike blamed on Hezbollah. [jpost.com, timesofisrael.com]
• Israel’s Olympic delegation held a minute of silence and shared a photo on Facebook to honor the children killed in the strike. [algemeiner.com]
Media sources:
• https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-812386
• https://www.timesofisrael.com/as-diplomats-scramble-israel-says-response-to-hezbollah-to-be-harsh-but-contained/
• https://www.timesofisrael.com/beirut-flights-nixed-delayed-as-lebanon-girds-for-israeli-reprisal-for-golan-strike/
• https://www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahu-met-by-angry-crowd-on-visit-to-site-of-deadly-rocket-strike-in-majdal-shams/
• https://www.ynetnews.com/article/s16hqwrya
• https://www.timesofisrael.com/funeral-held-for-12th-child-killed-in-hezbollah-rocket-strike-on-golan-soccer-field/
• https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/gallant-tells-mourners-in-majdal-shams-hezbollah-will-pay-a-price-for-this-our-actions-will-speak-volumes/
• https://www.bbc.com/japanese/articles/c3g6lj2w8ddo
• https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/29/world/middleeast/israel-hezbollah-lebanon.html
• https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w172zb8zr7gzlbz
• https://english.aawsat.com/node/5045218
• https://english.aawsat.com/node/5045214
• https://english.aawsat.com/node/5045211
• https://www.arabnews.com/node/2558451/business-economy
• https://aawsat.com/node/5045201
• https://www.aljazeera.net/news/2024/7/30/3-%d8%ae%d9%8a%d8%a7%d8%b1%d8%a7%d8%aa-%d8%a8%d9%8a%d9%86%d9%87%d8%a7-%d8%a7%d8%b3%d8%aa%d9%87%d8%af%d8%a7%d9%81-%d9%82%d8%a7%d8%af%d8%a9-4-%d9%85%d8%b3%d8%a4%d9%88%d9%84%d9%8a%d9%86
• https://www.arabnews.com/node/2558971/middle-east
• https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-812410
• https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-812401
• https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/turkey-again-compares-genocidal-netanyahu-to-hitler-after-erdogan-appears-to-threaten-to-invade-israel/
• https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-812375
• https://www.timesofisrael.com/ministers-okay-netanyahu-gallant-to-decide-on-retaliation-for-deadly-rocket-strike/
• https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel-at-war/artc-hezbollah-moves-smart-precision-guided-missiles-over-fears-of-idf-retaliation
• https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/report-netanyahu-freezes-plan-to-fly-sick-gazan-kids-abroad-for-treatment-in-wake-of-golan-attack/