At least 12 people were killed Saturday, mostly children and teens, and dozens more were wounded when a rocket from Lebanon hit a soccer field in the northern Druze town of Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights. It was the single deadliest Hezbollah attack on northern Israel since fighting there began in October.

Residents and first responders described scenes of bloody carnage on the pitch. Though a warning siren had sounded, it was too short an alert for the victims, who were unable to flee in time.

The shocking attack led to swift promises of retaliation and talk of an unprecedented response among Israeli officials as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hurried home from the US, raising the spectre of a fresh escalation and a potential full-blown war between Israel and the Lebanese group.

Politicians from across the political spectrum expressed outrage at the attack and the government’s failure to bring security to the north after long months of fighting, while demanding decisive action against Hezbollah.

Israel Defense Forces spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said in a news conference on Saturday night that all the victims were aged 10 to 20.

Baruch Padeh Medical Centre near Tiberias said four people in serious condition were brought to the hospital. Ziv Medical Centre in Safed said it admitted 32 wounded, including six being treated in the trauma ward, 13 in moderate-to-serious condition, and 10 who were lightly hurt. Four other casualties were taken to Rambam Medical Centre in Haifa.

Medics declared 10 of the victims dead at the scene, while two were declared dead at hospitals, officials said.

Hezbollah initially claimed responsibility for launching a barrage of Katyusha rockets and a single heavy Falaq rocket at a nearby military base. As news emerged of the heavy rocket hitting the Druze town, and the deadly outcome of the strike, the Hezbollah issued a statement that it had “absolutely nothing to do with the incident”. The Israeli army rejected that assertion, saying the attack “was carried out by the Hezbollah terror group” while quoting “assessments carried out by the IDF and reliable intelligence information available to us.”

The IDF said it had determined that the rocket was launched by Hezbollah up from an area just north of the Lebanese village of Chebaa.

Israel won’t let deadly Hezbollah strike ‘pass in silence’ – Netanyahu

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he was “shocked” to see the attack by Hezbollah on Majdal Shams.

“Among the murdered were small children who were playing soccer,” he says in a video statement, “and others were also other murdered. Our hearts are all broken by these sights.”

“We embrace the families, embrace the entire Druze community in its difficult time, which is also our difficult time,” he says.

Netanyahu pledges that Israel will “not let this pass in silence”.

Defence Minister Yoav Gallant told Sheikh Muafak Tarif, the spiritual leader of Israel’s Druze community, that the country will “strike the enemy hard” in response to Hezbollah’s deadly rocket attack.

French President Emmanuel Macron has called President Isaac Herzog to express “condolences and deep horror” over the deadly strike in Majdal Shams, according to the President’s Residence.

President Herzog will not be returning early to Israel in the wake of the deadly Hezbollah strike in Majdal Shams, The Times of Israel has learned, since he flew on a commercial flight and there are no such flights from France to Israel on Shabbat. On Shabbat morning, Herzog walked to a synagogue in Paris in order to pray with the local Jewish community.

EU’s Borrell calls for independent probe into “bloodbath”

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell condemned the “bloodbath” in the  Golan Heights and called for an independent probe.

“Shocking images from the soccer field in the Druze town of Majdal Shams. I strongly condemn this bloodbath. We need an independent international investigation into this unacceptable incident. We urge all parties to exercise utmost restraint and avoid further escalation,” Borrell says in a post on X.

UK drops objection to ICC arrest warrant for Netanyahu

The British government has reversed its opposition to the International Criminal Court (ICC) seeking an arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Friday marked the deadline to submit documents as part of a legal challenge against the ICC, a date which had been extended due to the UK general election and change of government earlier this month.

“We’ve been very clear about the importance of the rule of law and the independence of the courts both domestically and internationally,” a spokesperson for Prime Minister Keir Starmer said.

“And our position on this process matter is that it is for the courts and prosecutor to decide and that’s why we’ve not taken forward plans put forward by the previous government,” the spokesperson said.

The decision marks a contrast to the previous Conservative government, who requested the court provide written observations on whether it “can exercise jurisdiction over Israeli nationals” given the Palestinian Authority cannot exercise criminal jurisdiction over Israeli nationals. The Conservatives did not submit a full objection before the election.

The ICC issued arrest warrant applications for Netanyahu and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in May, declaring they were responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza since October last year. The charges included starving citizens, willfully causing suffering and intentionally targeting a civilian population. Israel has forcefully denied the allegations.

Priti Patel enters crowded leadership race for UK Conservatives

Former British home secretary Dame Priti Patel has said she can unite the Tories and turn them “back into a winning machine” as she launched her bid for the party’s leadership. She said her political experience meant she would be able to “reinvigorate” the party following its recent election defeat.

“I have done this throughout my 30 plus years of service to our party, in both government and opposition. I can get us match fit to win the next general election.”

Dame Priti is the first woman to throw her hat into the ring to replace Rishi Sunak, and joins James Cleverly, Robert Jenrick, Tom Tugendhat and Mel Stride.

The 52-year-old was widely expected to run for the leadership. Other people who are expected to join her but have not yet declared include the shadow communities secretary Kemi Badenoch and Suella Braverman, another former home secretary.

Dame Priti has been a backbench MP since stepping down as home secretary in 2022, following the resignation of her ally Boris Johnson.

She has been highly critical of the Conservative Party’s leadership in recent years, blaming them for the Tories’ slide from political favour that culminated in July’s historic election defeat.

Trump tells Christians “they won’t have to vote anymore” if he is elected

Former President Donald Trump told attendees at a conservative Christian event on Friday night that they “won’t have to vote anymore” if he is elected into office in November. He implored Christians to save America by voting “just this time,” so that he can win the presidential election in a landslide “that’s too big to rig”.

“Christians get out and vote. Just this time,” he urged. “You won’t have to do it anymore. Four more years. You know what? It’ll be fixed. It’ll be fine. You won’t have to vote anymore, my beautiful Christians.”

Trump continued: “I love you Christians and I’m a Christian. I love you, you got to get out and vote. In four years, you don’t have to vote again. We’ll have it fixed so good, you’re not going to have to vote.”

The Harris campaign is characterising Trump’s comment as a “vow to end democracy”.

“When Vice President Harris says this election is about freedom she means it. Our democracy is under assault by criminal Donald Trump,” Harris for President Spokesperson James Singer said. “Donald Trump wants to take America backward, to a politics of hate, chaos, and fear – this November America will unite around Vice President Kamala Harris to stop him.”

On social media, there were also calls of alarm in response to Trump’s comments, expressing concern that they alluded to authoritarianism and could be interpreted as an indication that he would not leave office if he wins the election.

Venezuela’s opposition leads in the polls

Voters in Venezuela will decide today whether to reelect President Nicolas Maduro, whose 11 years in office have been beset by crisis, or allow the opposition a chance to deliver on a promise to undo the ruling party’s policies that caused economic collapse and forced millions to emigrate.

Historically fractured opposition parties have coalesced behind a single candidate, giving the United Socialist Party of Venezuela its most serious electoral challenge in a presidential election in decades.

Maduro is being challenged by former diplomat Edmundo González Urrutia, who represents the resurgent opposition, and eight other candidates. Supporters of Maduro and Gonzalez marked the end of the official campaign season Thursday with massive demonstrations in the capital, Caracas.

Maduro’s popularity has dwindled due to an economic crisis caused by a drop in oil prices, corruption and government mismanagement.

Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva called on his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolás Maduro to respect the results of the elections. He said he was “frightened” by Maduro’s reference to a possible post-election “bloodbath”.

Catholic leaders join French bishops in condemning Last Supper scene at Paris Olympics opening

Bishops and prominent prelates from around the world have joined the French Bishops’ Conference and US bishops in criticising the Paris Olympics opening ceremony held on Friday for its depiction of the Last Supper, calling it “a deeply deplorable derision of Christianity”.

The controversial scene, part of the €1.5 billion spectacle to kick off the 2024 Summer Olympics in a rain-soaked French capital, featured drag queens portraying the apostles and an overweight DJ as Jesus in what appeared to be a part of a fashion show – apparently mocking Leonardo da Vinci’s famous painting.

The official Olympics Twitter account described part of the scene as depicting “the Greek God Dionysus” making people “aware of the absurdity of violence between human beings”.

In a statement released Saturday, the French bishops expressed deep regret over “scenes of derision and mockery of Christianity, which we deeply deplore. We thank the members of other religious denominations who have expressed their solidarity,” the statement continued. “This morning, we think of all Christians on all continents who have been hurt by the outrage and provocation of certain scenes.”

The bishops added: “We hope they understand that the Olympic celebration extends far beyond the ideological preferences of some artists.”

Malta’s Archbishop, Mgr Charles Scicluna said on X he had sent messages to the French Ambassador to Malta, expressing his “distress and great disappointment at the insult to us Christians during the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics when a group of drag artists parodied the Last Supper of Jesus.”

Russian Orthodox bishop of Budapest-Hungary suspended following reports of sexual misconduct

Russian Orthodox Bishop Hilarion Alfeyev of Budapest-Hungary has been temporarily suspended following reports about an ongoing investigation of sexual misconduct with a young staff member.

According to the online news site Novaya Gazeta Europe, Georgy Suzuki, who served as the bishop’s personal assistant between October 2022 and January 2024, was sexually harassed on several occasions by the 58-year-old high-ranking prelate. Alfeyev has reportedly denied all allegations made by Suzuki.

Earlier this month, Church Times reported that 11 Russian Orthodox priests in Budapest signed a joint statement defending Alfeyev who, they believe, is innocent and a victim of a “dirty slanderous campaign”.   

Yesterday, Novaya Gazeta Europe published several photos as well as details of private messages shared between Suzuki and Alfeyev, highlighting the bishop’s sexually inappropriate behaviour and materially-excessive lifestyle. Alfeyev reportedly purchased mansions in France and Hungary as well as expensive watches, and spent holidays on yachts and at expensive beach resorts.

Though Suzuki told Novaya Gazeta Europe that Alfeyev’s advances never led to sexual encounters, he said he and his family suffered coercion, blackmail, and retaliation from the bishop who, in turn, accused Suzuki of sexually inappropriate behaviour. 

California firefighters get some help from cooler temperatures

Thousands of firefighters battling a wildfire in Northern California received some help from the weather Saturday hours after it exploded in size, scorching an area greater than the size of Los Angeles. The blaze was one of several tearing through the western United States and Canada, fuelled by wind and heat.

Cooler temperatures and an increase in humidity could help slow the Park Fire, the largest this year in California. Its intensity and dramatic spread led fire officials to make unwelcome comparisons to the monstrous Camp Fire, which burned out of control in nearby Paradise in 2018, killing 85 people and torching 11,000 homes.

Photo: JALAA MAREY/AFP via Getty Images