Former President Donald Trump blamed President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for the Hezbollah rocket strike on a soccer field in northern Israel that killed 12 children and teens as he campaigned in Minnesota Saturday night.
Former President Donald Trump said the attacks — which targeted the minority Druze community — “cannot be forgotten” and pointed the finger at the Biden administration.
“I want to condemn the evil attack on Israel that took place today, a missile launched by Hezbollah killed at least a dozen children, young children. They were playing on a soccer field in the Golan Heights,” Trump told the crowd in St. Cloud.
“Today’s attack on Israel cannot be forgotten and will go down as another moment in history created by a weak and ineffective United States President and Vice President,” Trump said.
While Biden and Harris have yet to comment on the strikes, the White House National Security Council in a statement said the U.S. “will continue to support efforts to end these terrible attacks along the Blue Line, which must be a top priority.
“Our support for Israel’s security is iron-clad and unwavering against all Iranian-backed terrorist groups, including Lebanese Hezbollah,” the council said.
Lebanon’s government did not mention the attack specifically, but in a statement urged an “immediate cessation of hostilities on all fronts” and condemned all attacks on civilians.
Meanwhile, the EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell called for an independent international investigation into the attacks and urged restraint.
“Shocking images from the soccer field in the Druze town of Majdal Shams. I strongly condemn this bloodbath. We urge all parties to exercise utmost restraint and avoid further escalation,” he posted on X.
Israel has promised to respond to the deadliest attack on the country since Hamas’ Oct. 7 massacre sparking the ongoing war in Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who rushed back to Israel following his visit to the US, said he’s spoken with local leaders about the attack.
“The entire nation of Israel sends its heartfelt condolences to the families of the murdered and to the entire Druze community,” he said in a statement.
“Israel will not put the murderous attack on the agenda. Hezbollah will pay a heavy price for this that it has not paid so far,” he threatened.
Israeli authorities said at least 30 rockets were fired from Lebanon toward Israel Saturday.
Israel’s Foreign Minister Israel Katz said that Israel is not facing an “all out war” to its north with Hezbollah.
When Israel does retaliate, Katz claims it would have the “full backing” of the United States and Europe.
The Hezbollah attack came after Israeli forces carried out an airstrike in southern Lebanon about 10 miles from Majdal Shams and killed four members of the terrorist group.
A Hezbollah spokesperson told the Associated Press the terror group “categorically denies carrying out an attack on Majdal Shams.”
The victims, all between the ages of 10 and 20, were Druze — an ethnoreligious Arab minority that maintains Arabic as their primary language and represents just 1.6% of Israel’s population.
The weekend attack could complicate another round of peace talk in Rome set to start on Sunday. CIA Director Bill Burns, Mossad Director David Barnea, the Prime Minister of Qatar and the head of Egypt’s intelligence are expected to attend.
