The UN Special Coordinator in Lebanon, Janine Hennis-Plasschaert, and the commander of the UN peacekeeping force, General Aruldo Latharo, urged all parties to exercise the utmost restraint on the Lebanese-Israeli border. This call came after the death of 12 people, including children, due to a missile attack on a football field in the town of Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights.
In a joint statement, the officials said, "We condemn the killing of civilians, including young children and teenagers, in Majdal Shams. Civilians must be protected at all times." They called on the UN to put an end to the ongoing and intense exchange of fire between Israel and Hezbollah, warning that the exchange of shelling could ignite a broader conflict that could plunge the entire region into an unimaginable disaster.
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and the office of the UN Special Coordinator are in contact with both Lebanon and Israel to contain the situation. Israel accused the Lebanese Hezbollah group of being responsible for the attack and vowed to respond, while Hezbollah denied any responsibility.
On Saturday, the Lebanese government condemned "all acts of violence and assaults against all civilians" after 11 Israelis were killed in a missile attack targeting the Golan Heights, which the Israeli military attributed to Hezbollah. The government stated that "targeting civilians is a blatant violation of international law and contradicts the principles of humanity," calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities on all fronts.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed that Hezbollah would pay a heavy price following the missile attack. According to a statement from his office, Netanyahu informed the leader of the Druze community in Israel in a phone call that "Hezbollah will pay a heavy price, a price it has not yet paid."
