Lebanon on alert as Israel vows 'severe' response to rocket deaths

MAJDAL SHAMS:

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday vowed a "severe" response to a deadly strike that killed youths in the annexed Golan Heights, as diplomats raced to contain escalation between Israel and Hezbollah.

On a visit to the site of the rocket strike which killed 12 children in the town of Majdal Shams, Netanyahu said: "The State of Israel will not, and cannot, let this pass. Our response will come and it will be severe."

He was greeted by protests during his visit, which came after mourners gathered in the Druze Arab town for the burial of the last victim, 11-year-old Guevara Ibrahim.

Israel and the United States have blamed the strike on Hezbollah, which has traded near-daily fire with Israeli forces since the start of the Gaza war in early October.

Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib said a flurry of diplomatic activity has sought to contain the anticipated Israeli response.

"Israel will escalate in a limited way and Hezbollah will respond in a limited way... These are the assurances we've received," Bou Habib said in an interview with local broadcaster Al-Jadeed.

The United States, France and others were trying to contain the escalation, he added, while Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati said that "talks are ongoing with international, European and Arab sides to protect Lebanon and ward off dangers".

Several airlines including Lufthansa, Air France and Royal Jordanian announced on Monday they had suspended all flights to Beirut.

But in the centre of the city, shop owner Muhammad Saad, 53, said life was going on as usual.

"We're already at war, what more could happen?" he told AFP.

Hezbollah has denied responsibility for the Majdal Shams rocket attack, though the group claimed multiple strikes on Israeli military positions that day. Israel said Hezbollah fired a Falaq-1 Iranian rocket. This type of projectile is unguided and an analyst called them inaccurate weapons.

On Sunday, Israel's security cabinet "authorised the prime minister and the defence minister to decide on the manner and timing of the response", Netanyahu's office said.

Hezbollah has evacuated some positions in south and east Lebanon, a source close to the group told AFP.

On Monday, Hezbollah said it had launched "dozens of Katyusha rockets" at an Israeli military site following the killing of two of its fighters.

A source close to the group told AFP the pair were killed in an air raid on Lebanon's southern village of Mais al-Jabal.

The Lebanese group has said its attacks are in support of Hamas, and they would stop if a ceasefire is reached in Gaza.

Months of effort have failed to secure a ceasefire and hostage release deal, though mediators and Israeli negotiators met on Sunday in Rome to discuss the latest proposal.