At least 10 children and teenagers, aged 10 to 20, were killed due to a rocket strike in recent hours at a municipal soccer field in Majdal Shams, where dozens of young people were playing soccer. 30 more have been injured as the death toll is expected to rise with 3 young victims in critical condition.
Reports from the scene describe a massive explosion that shook the settlement in the late afternoon, following a barrage of rockets targeting the area and hitting the municipal soccer field where dozens of teenagers and children were present.
Paramedics and emergency medical teams arriving at the scene describe an unusual and extremely severe situation, with dozens of injured individuals at varying degrees of injury. Numerous ambulances and emergency medical teams from the IDF were dispatched to the scene to assist, with many of the injured being airlifted to local hospitals and clinics.
The Prime Minister, who is concluding his diplomatic visit to the United States, has been updated on the details of the event according to his office. The Prime Minister is reportedly holding security consultations, in addition to consultations being held in Israel at the level of the Defence Minister and by the Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi, who is conducting a situation assessment with the Northern Command Commander, the head of the Operations Branch, the Air Force Commander, and the IDF General Staff Forum following the severe incident and the rocket launches.
Northern local leaders are urging the government to view the incident as a turning point and to take immediate and decisive action against Hezbollah and Lebanon as a whole to ensure security on the northern border.
Moshe Davidovitz, head of the Mateh Asher Regional Council and chairman of the Front Line Forum, criticized Netanyahu: "I am outraged! It seems that until rockets land in Caesarea, the Prime Minister and cabinet members will continue their policy of ignoring the north. I call on the government to wake up from its slumber and act immediately."
