Lebanon rocket hits soccer field

Attack raises fears of broader regional war

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) -- The Middle East braced for a potential flare-up in violence on Sunday after Israeli authorities said a rocket from Lebanon struck a soccer field in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights, killing 12 children and teens in what the military called the deadliest attack on civilians since Oct. 7. It raised fears of a broader regional war between Israel and Hezbollah, which in a rare move denied it was responsible.

The White House National Security Council said it was speaking with Israeli and Lebanese counterparts and working on a diplomatic solution to "end all attacks once and for all" in the border area between Israel and Lebanon.

The Israeli military said it struck a number of targets inside Lebanon overnight into Sunday, though their intensity was similar to months of cross-border fighting between Israel and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah. Hezbollah said it also carried out strikes. There were no immediate reports of casualties.

Saturday's attack came as Israel and Hamas are negotiating a cease-fire proposal to end the nearly 10-month war in Gaza.

A rocket slammed into a soccer field where dozens of children and teens were playing Saturday in the Druze town of Majdal Shams, about 7 miles south of Lebanon and next to the Syrian border. Twelve were killed and 20 others wounded, according to the Israeli military.

"I feel darkness inside and out. Nothing like this happened here," resident Anan Abu Saleh said. "There's no way to explain this. I saw children, I don't want to say what I saw, but it's horrible, really horrible. We need more security." On Sunday, the coffins passed through a crowd of thousands. Photos of the youth were displayed at a roundabout as residents lit candles at dusk.

The Israeli military said it was investigating why the rocket wasn't intercepted and questioned whether it would have been possible due to its short journey and short reaction time. A bomb shelter was next to the blackened field, steps away.

The Druze are a religious sect that began as an offshoot of Shiite Islam and has communities in Israel, Syria and Lebanon. There are about 25,000 Druze in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights, according to Yusri Hazran of the Hebrew University.

The Druze are considered among Israel's most loyal citizens, although those in the Golan Heights have a more fraught relationship with authorities.

"Big anger, big, big. I have no feelings that I can explain to you," said Hassan Shakir, a Majdal Shams resident.