UN Calls for Restraint on Lebanon-Israel Border

The United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Janine Hennis-Plasschaert, and the Commander of the UN Peacekeeping Force, General Aroldo Lázaro, urged maximum restraint along the Lebanese-Israeli border following the death of 12 people, including children, in a rocket attack on a football field in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights town of Majdal Shams.

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."

The UN officials called for an end to the ongoing and intense exchange of fire between Israel and Hezbollah, warning that such actions could spark a broader conflict, plunging the entire region into an unimaginable catastrophe.

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and the UN Special Coordinator's office are in contact with both Lebanon and Israel to de-escalate the situation, according to Reuters.

European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell condemned the rocket attack on Majdal Shams, describing it as a "bloodbath." Borrell posted on X (formerly Twitter), "Shocking images from the football field in the Druze town of Majdal Shams. I strongly condemn this bloodbath."

He emphasized the need for an independent international investigation into the unacceptable incident and urged all parties to exercise maximum restraint and avoid further escalation.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed on Saturday that Hezbollah would pay a heavy price for its rocket attack on Majdal Shams. Hezbollah, however, denied responsibility for the attack, which resulted in the highest number of casualties in Israel or the territories it annexed since the conflict in Gaza began on October 7th.