The carnage of Hezbollah's incessant attacks on northern Israel since Oct. 8 hit a new peak Saturday, after it struck a soccer field in Majdal Shams – a largely Arab Druze town. The attack killed 11 – mostly children and teenagers – and wounded at least 30 others. Residents in the northern Golan and Upper Galilee have been instructed to stay close to protected areas.

Magen David Adom, Israel's emergency medical service, said more than 30 people – most between the ages of 10 and 20 – were taken to emergency rooms, some via IDF helicopters, as the organization's director Eli Bin said the scene was reminiscent "of a battlefield." Five are in serious condition, with fears the total number of dead may rise beyond the 11 already confirmed. Eleven youngsters were moderately wounded and a further 10 were lightly hurt, some suffering from anxiety attacks. Evacuation of the wounded was complicated, as Hezbollah continued its rocket fire, even after the strike on the soccer field.

Senior MDA paramedic Idan Avshalom described the scene: "We arrived at the football field and saw destruction and objects burning. Victims were lying on the grass, and the sights were difficult to witness. We immediately started triaging the injured. Some were taken to local clinics, and our teams were also directed there. During the incident, there were further alerts, and the medical treatment of the injured is still ongoing," according to Israel Hayom.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu – who is still in the United States following his address to Congress on Wednesday and further meetings with both outgoing President Joseph Biden and likely Democratic Party nominee Vice President Kamala Harris – has been kept in close contact with the rescue efforts and will lead the decision-making process about what kind of response will follow. It is also thought his return has been pushed forward several hours because of the security situation.