Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged a “harsh” response on Monday following a deadly attack that killed 12 children in the occupied Golan Heights, as diplomats work to prevent escalating tensions between Israel and Hezbollah.
After visiting the site of Sunday’s attack, Netanyahu stated, “The State of Israel cannot allow this to pass. Our response will come, and it will be very harsh.”
Israel and the United States have blamed Hezbollah for this attack, which has been launching near-daily attacks against Israel since the start of Israel’s war in Gaza last October.
Hezbollah, a Lebanese group, supports Hamas in Gaza. Both Hezbollah and Hamas enjoy backing from Iran but are designated as terrorist organizations by the United States and other powers.
Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib stated that diplomatic efforts are underway to mitigate the expected Israeli response.
“Israel may escalate the situation in a limited manner, and Hezbollah will act similarly. These are the assurances we have received,” Bou Habib said in an interview.
Many analysts believe this is the most likely scenario, as Israel could be significantly burdened by fighting on two fronts.
The United States, France, and other countries are also reportedly making efforts to avoid an escalation of the situation.
U.S. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby expressed strong confidence that a larger war can be avoided.
New Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian warned Israel against attacks on Lebanon, saying such actions would be a “grave mistake with serious consequences.”
Hezbollah has denied responsibility for the rocket attack in the Golan Heights, though the group did claim to have carried out several attacks against Israeli positions in the area on that day.
