Trump places blame on Biden, Harris for deadly attack in Golan Heights

This weekend saw yet another violent incident in the Middle East when a rocket attack originating from Lebanon left 12 youngsters dead on a soccer field in the Golan Heights, raising fears of escalation in the already volatile region.

As the New York Post reports, during a campaign appearance in Minnesota, former President Donald Trump weighed in on the situation, placing blame for the killings squarely on current President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, currently the presumptive Democratic Party nominee for the 2024 race.

Druze targeted in deadly attack

According to the Associated Press, it was on Saturday that the aforementioned rocket struck a soccer pitch in the Druze town of Majdal Shams in the north of Israel, killing 12 and injuring another 20.

The Druze are a minority sect with Shiite Islamic origins, and its communities reside in areas within Israel, Lebanon, and Syria, with roughly 25,000 currently living in the Golan Heights, controlled by Israel.

Notably, while many Druze leaders have pledged their overall allegiance to Syria, members of the community are often regarded as among Israel's most loyal citizens, with many serving in the country's military.

It is widely believed that the attack was launched under the auspices of Hezbollah, despite the group's denial of responsibility, and fears are now growing that an anticipated Israeli response could spark a broader regional war beyond the scope of the ongoing conflict with Hamas.

Israeli officials indicated that targets within Lebanon had been hit in the overnight hours into Sunday morning, though the intensity of the attacks were not unlike the sort of cross-border conflict that has been occurring for months with Iranian-supported Hezbollah fighters.

Trump weighs in

Speaking to supporters in St. Cloud, Trump raised the issue of the attack on the Druze community, declaring that it “cannot be forgotten.”

“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 said to attendees.

Trump left no doubt about who he believes bears a great deal of responsibility for the violence, adding that the incident “will go down as another moment in history created by a weak and ineffective United States president and vice president.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made his way swiftly back to his home country after visiting the United States to deliver a congressional address and to take part in meetings with members of the Biden administration as well as with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate.

Speaking to the citizens of his nation about the attack, Netanyahu vowed, “Hezbollah will pay a heavy price for this that it has not paid so far,” and whether that pledge will result in a dangerous escalation in the already overheated region, only time will tell.