Politics After attack on Golan Heights: Netanyahu wants to return to Israel quickly

Following the momentous missile attack on the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants to return to Israel from the USA as quickly as possible. "Immediately after the catastrophe became known, Prime Minister Netanyahu gave instructions to expedite the return to Israel as quickly as possible," his office wrote on X. The number of people killed when the rocket hit a football pitch rose to at least eleven, according to the military.

While in the USA, Netanyahu was briefed by his military advisor on the situation in the attacked village of Majd al-Sham. On his return, the head of government will convene the security cabinet, his office added.

Return flight brought forward by a few hours

The newspaper "The Times of Israel" reported, citing Netanyahu's delegation in the USA, that the return flight, which was already scheduled for late evening (local time), would be brought forward by a few hours. Netanyahu had given a speech to Congress in the USA and met US President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President and presidential candidate Donald Trump.

Eleven people had previously been killed when a rocket hit a football pitch in the village of Madschd al-Schams. All of the victims were between the ages of 10 and 20, "The Times of Israel" quoted military spokesman Daniel Hagari as saying. According to initial investigations, the rocket alarm was triggered, but only shortly before impact.

The Israeli armed forces blamed Hezbollah in Lebanon for the attack. According to the military, an initial assessment of the situation and intelligence information indicated that the Shiite militia had fired the rockets. Hezbollah, on the other hand, declared that it had nothing to do with the incident. It categorically rejected the accusations that it had attacked Majd al-Sham, it said in a statement.

SDA