Israel will not let the murderous attack in Majdal Shams “pass in silence,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed on Saturday afternoon, as senior security officials held consultations in the wake of a deadly Hezbollah rocket attack that left at least 12 children dead in the northern Druze town.
The attack was the single deadliest Hezbollah attack since the fighting on the Israel-Lebanon border began on October 8, Israel Defense Forces spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said on Saturday evening, and all the victims were aged between 10 and 20 years old.
Following the deadly strike, Netanyahu spoke to the spiritual leader of Israel’s Druze community Sheikh Muafak Tarif, the Prime Minister’s Office said, and vowed that Israel would not sit idly by.
“Prime Minister Netanyahu made clear that Israel will not allow the murderous attack to simply pass on by, and that Hezbollah will pay a heavy price for this that it has not paid until this point,” his office said.
The prime minister, who was still in the United States at the time of the attack but cut short his trip by several hours and was expected to land back in Israel early Sunday afternoon, repeated the sentiment in a video message released shortly after.
“Among the murdered were small children who were playing soccer,” he said, “and others were also murdered. Our hearts are all broken by these sights.”.
He pledged that Israel would “not let this pass in silence,” and said the whole nation stood together with the Druze community “in its difficult time, which is also our difficult time.”
Israel’s decision-making security cabinet was set to convene on Sunday afternoon.
In the immediate aftermath of the attack, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant was briefed by top military and security officials on Israel’s options “for action against Hezbollah.”.
Peoplesmind
