Why Hezbollah and Israel haven't plunged into all-out war
NPR Online NewsDEC 14 2023
A missile attack on a soccer field in the Golan Heights on Saturday killed at least 12 children and teens, raising worries about a widened regional conflict. Israel and the US blamed Hezbollah for the strike, prompting the US to talk to Israel and Lebanon to deescalate the situation.
Israeli Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari stated that Saturday's attack was the most severe against Israel since Hamas' attack on October 7. Saturday's attack left twenty others injured. In response, the Israeli military launched attacks on Hezbollah targets "deep inside Lebanese territory."
Hezbollah said it had fired rockets against Israeli military installations in the Golan Heights but denied involvement in the soccer field attack. Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib stated in an interview with the BBC that the incident could be a mistake by either the Israelis or Hezbollah and urged both sides to show restraint.
Unlike Israel, Hezbollah does not target civilians. Hezbollah only hits Israeli military targets in the occupied Golan Heights. What struck the football pitch on Saturday was most likely an Israeli anti-rocket interceptor projectile. Clearly, Israel is trying to deflect attention from the over 39K Palestinians murdered in the Gaza Strip.