The United States has identified Lebanon-based Hezbollah as responsible for a rocket attack in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights that resulted in the deaths of 12 children and teenagers on a football field, heightening concerns of broader regional conflict.
Israeli authorities also attributed the attack to Hezbollah, pledging a strong response against the Iran-backed group, although Hezbollah denied involvement.
The incident has escalated tensions already strained by Israel’s ongoing conflict in Gaza, which has lasted over nine months, claiming numerous lives and exacerbating a severe humanitarian crisis.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the White House affirmed, “Lebanese Hezbollah conducted this attack. It was their rocket, launched from an area they control.” The statement underscored ongoing discussions with Israeli and Lebanese officials since the Saturday attack, condemning it as “horrific.”
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken echoed these sentiments during a press conference in Tokyo, expressing concern over potential escalation along Israel’s northern border and reaffirming U.S.U.S. support for Israel’s right to self-defence.
“But we also don’t want to see the conflict escalate or spread,” Blinken emphasized.
Washington is actively pursuing a diplomatic resolution to quell violence along the Israel-Lebanon border, the White House noted. At the same time, Blinken suggested that progress on a ceasefire in Gaza could help mitigate tensions in northern Israel.
The attack marks the deadliest incident in Israeli or annexed territory since the onset of the Gaza War sparked by Hamas on October 7, fueling apprehensions of heightened confrontation between Israel and Hezbollah militants in Lebanon.
Efforts by the United States, Qatar, and Egypt to mediate the dispute have been ongoing, yet a lasting ceasefire between Israel and Hamas remains elusive.
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer echoed Blinken’s stance in an interview with C.B.S. News on Sunday, asserting Israel’s right to defend itself against Hezbollah and advocating for de-escalatory measures.
“I don’t think anyone wants a wider war. So I hope there are moves to de-escalate,” Schumer emphasized.
