Despite the shock and horror after a Hezbollah rocket attack killed at least 12 children and youth and wounded 39 more in the Druze village of Majdal Shams on Saturday, Israel's response, one that could lead to an all-out war, would be delayed by at least 24 hours.
According to Israeli law any major military action that can result in war, must be approved by the security cabinet which will only be convened when Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu returns from the U.S. on Sunday afternoon.
Netanyahu was heavily criticized in the media, for initially planning to remain in Washington longer, a claim his office denied, and later moved up his departure time.
The IDF struggled to decide on an interim response, that would be significant but would not start a full-blown war. The understanding was that an attack on Beirut would bring about a war within hours and such an escalation would include Hezbollah fire on the center of Israel.
The question before the security cabinet would be whether to attack Lebanon's civilian infrastructure, which has indirectly assisted Hezbollah in its attacks. Thus far such strategic targets have been spared, including Lebanese army facilities positioned close to Hezbollah launch sites, out of consideration for a state rule for the day after the war.
The military said it had identified attempts to spread false claims that Hezbollah did not carry out the deadly fire on Majdal Shams and that an Iron Dome missile caused the fatalities. This is believed to be an indication of the anxiety in Lebanon and the Iran-backed terror group in anticipation of an Israeli response.
The Air Force was also investigating why the heavy rocket was not intercepted. This is the second time in the past two weeks that Hezbollah fire was able to land on the Golan Heights, causing fatalities after a rocket made a direct hit on a car, killing Noa and Nir Baranes.
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Israeli couple killed in Hezbollah rocket attack on the Golan Heights
(Photo: Fire and Rescue Authority )
The attack then was not considered a game changer, but the horrific result of Saturday's attack is sure to be seen as a reason for a dramatic escalation in the nearly 10 months of war across the Lebanon border.
Ministers in Netanyahu's coalition called for Israel to launch an immediate war. The prime minister said Hezbollah will pay dearly in a way it had not until now.
Sky News in Arabic quoted an Israeli source who said the Israeli response would be severe but that Israel does not want a full-out war.