Tragic attack on Druze village takes northern conflict to new level

Lebanon is on high alert for Israeli retaliation following a Hezbollah attack on the village of Majdal Shams, which killed 12 children at a soccer game on Saturday.

Diplomatic and intelligence sources report terror groups affiliated with Hezbollah and Iran are evacuating positions along the Syrian-Lebanese border.

International governments, including Australia, have warned their nationals to leave Lebanon in anticipation of a deteriorating security situation.

The Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation channel (LBC) stated that "Israel has decided to attack Lebanon, and the matter is already finalised. Now the parties are working so that the Israeli response will be limited in size and location, and not in the big cities and especially not in Beirut, so as not to drag Hezbollah into reacting with greater force".

A US  administration official expressed concern that the deadly Hezbollah strike could spark an all-out war between Israel and the Iran-backed terror group. “What happened today could be the trigger we have been worried about and tried to avoid for 10 months,” the official told Axios on Saturday.

But White House spokesperson John Kirby attempted to hose down fears, telling reporters on Monday that he believes fear of major escalation is exaggerated.

Kirby's comment suggests the administration is trying to tone down some of the public rhetoric around the situation on the Israeli-Lebanese border, while it quietly works behind the scenes to prevent a major escalation.

The attack was the single deadliest Hezbollah attack since the fighting on the Israel-Lebanon border began on October 8. All victims were aged between 10 and 20 years old and were members of Israel’s Druze community, attending a community soccer game where the rocket fell. Eyewitnesses said the alarm sounded only seconds before the rocket hit the town's soccer field.