Former President Donald Trump has strongly condemned the Hezbollah rocket attack on Israel that tragically killed twelve children and teenagers.
Speaking at a campaign rally in St. Cloud, Minnesota, Trump attributed the incident to what he described as the “weak and ineffective” leadership of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
The attack, which took place on Saturday, targeted a soccer field in the Druze town of Majdal Shams in northern Israel. The victims, aged between 10 and 20, were part of the Druze community, an ethnoreligious minority in Israel.
“Our hearts go out to the families of these innocent children,” Trump expressed to the rally attendees. “No parent should have to suffer the terrible loss of a child at the hands of terrorists or anybody else. Today’s attack on Israel cannot be forgotten.”
Trump asserted that such an attack would not have occurred under his administration, stressing that Hezbollah, a Lebanese-based, Iranian-backed militant group, had not taken such actions during his presidency.
“They wouldn’t have done this if I were the president,” Trump claimed. “They wouldn’t have done that, and they didn’t.”
Trump criticized the current administration, stating, “With time, the situation will only get worse for our country with the kind of leadership that we have right now, which is no leadership. It’s probably worse than no leadership. It’s negative.” He further attacked Harris, calling her “terrible” and “worse than [Biden] is,” particularly highlighting her role as the “border czar.”
The former president also recalled his recent meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who condemned the attack and promised that Hezbollah “will pay a heavy price.”
Netanyahu, who had to cut short his U.S. visit, said in a statement that Israel would not let such attacks go unanswered and that the entire nation mourned with the Druze community.
Meanwhile, the Biden-Harris administration has not yet issued a direct comment on the strikes.
However, the White House National Security Council stated, “Our support for Israel’s security is iron-clad and unwavering against all Iranian-backed terrorist groups, including Lebanese Hezbollah.”
Lebanon’s government urged an “immediate cessation of hostilities on all fronts” and condemned attacks on civilians without specifically mentioning the soccer field attack.
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell called for an independent international investigation into the incident and urged restraint from all parties involved.
This attack, the deadliest since the October 7 massacre by Hamas, comes at a critical time with another round of peace talks scheduled in Rome. Key figures including CIA Director Bill Burns, Mossad Director David Barnea, the Prime Minister of Qatar, and Egypt’s intelligence head are expected to attend these talks.
Israeli authorities reported that at least 30 rockets were fired from Lebanon towards Israel on Saturday. In retaliation, Israel carried out an airstrike in southern Lebanon, killing four members of Hezbollah. The militant group, however, has denied responsibility for the soccer field attack.
In closing his remarks, Trump stressed the urgency of strong leadership to prevent further such tragedies. “It’s a dangerous and terrible time for the world, and it’s almost the entire fault of the Biden-Harris administration,” he said.