Iran’s new president, Masoud Pezeshkian, was sworn in Tuesday, vowing to lift sanctions and engage in global dialogue, amid an audience of proxy militia leaders and a notable absence of high-ranking international officials.
A deadly rocket strike on Saturday in Majdal Shams village in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights killed 12 children playing soccer, becoming the latest victims in a suspected Hezbollah attack on Saturday.
The Druze are an Arabic-speaking ethno- religious group who adhere to the Druze faith, residing in Israel, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan.
The scale of the massacre is the largest civilian loss in Israel since October 7. Druze and Israelis are still mourning and coming to terms with the immense loss, said Anan Wahabi, a lecturer at the University of Haifa, specializing in national security.
Wahabi is also a Druze-Israeli.
“It was unprecedented attack that killed the innocent and beautiful children. Their only guilt was just to come and to try and play football,” he said.
The complex situation of the Golan Heights Druze has been highlighted in the most tragic way possible. Wahabi said those in the area had longstanding Syrian identity in the past, but now have a growing affiliation with Israel, especially the younger generation, some of whom serve in the Israeli military. They are not forced to serve and volunteer should they enlist.
The people of Golan Heights are residents of Israel and an increasing number are choosing to become Israeli citizens. Since the Syrian civil war, and October 7, Israeli citizenship by Druze in that area, jumped significantly. In contrast, other Druze in Israel, serve in the military and police, including the war against Hamas with many reaching high ranks in the IDF and government.
After the 1967 Mideast war, Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria - and effectively annexed it in 1981.
For the Druze, their identity and history is complex and multifaceted.
“I must tell that the first identity is the Druze identity for them, and we have our own flag. Secondly there is the national identity. We've gotten a lot of messages from all parts of the Israeli society giving condolences and standing with us in this very hard time,” said Wahabi.
The Druze in Syria are angry said Wahabi, calling Hezbollah, which translates to the party of God in Arabic to the party of the devil, instead. He said the Druze in Lebanon are not speaking up and are trying to avoid confrontation, with the Iran-backed Shiite military organization that dominates the country.
"We could hear voices, from the Syrian Druze calling Hezbollah, Hezbsheytan; the party of the devil."
No escaping Geopolitics:
But there is no escaping the geopolitics of the region no matter the ethnic or religious identity.
IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said in a press conference from the scene the rocket that struck Majdal Shams was an Iranian-made Falaq-1. The rocket identified as having had 53 kg load of explosives.
US intelligence officials said there is no doubt that Hezbollah carried out the attack, however, what is not clear is if the children were the target or if they misfired.
Israeli officials were quick to offer support to the community and pointed the blame at Tehran.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised a “harsh response” during a visit to Majdal Shams Monday.
Hezbollah denied responsibility but said it had launched strikes on what it said were military targets in nearby areas.
"A Jewish child murdered on the Gaza border on Oct. 7 and a Druze child murdered on the Golan Heights are the same. These are our children," Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Monday while with the Prime Minister in Majdal Shams.
A turning point?
Some experts believe the deadly incident involving youth could be a turning point in the conflict.
The FDD’s Behnam Ben Taleblu said Israel’s response will likely be severe, referring to it as “deterrence by punishment.”
“The question is really where and when,” said Taleblu.
Taleblu said a number of factors, like America’s upcoming presidential elections, will determine just how far Israel can go in their response.
“If Israel does look to restore deterrence, it may be a short lived deterrence. Iran, Hezbollah and many of these other actors think there's a longer leash here because the US may want to avoid a military conflict or may want to avoid even the potential for escalation as it gets closer to the election,” said Taleblu.
On Monday, the US declared support for Israel but also cautioned its Middle East ally about escalation with the Iranian-backed Hezbollah.
French President Emmanuel Macron urged Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian on Monday to “avoid regional military escalation,” according to Élysée Palace.
The Alma Research and Education center based in Northern Israel published an assessment, saying that Hezbollah finds itself in a“Win-Win” situation, where it benefits regardless of the outcome.
The report, by Alma founder Sarit Zehavi, states Hezbollah has a desire to draw Israel into a full-scale conflict with the aim of consolidating power in Lebanon.
"An occurrence of such a large-scale tragedy resulting in several casualties has the potential to provoke a substantial and notable reaction from Israel. Within the upcoming hours and days, we shall ascertain whether this event truly marks a pivotal moment," as written in the Alma report.
The newly elected president was sworn in with the presence of the head of the judiciary and the Guardian Council, promising to uphold the constitution and faithfully execute his duties as the head of state.
It follows assumed office Sunday with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's approval.
In his speech, Pezeshkian attributed his election to the "wisdom of the leadership" and the "astute vote of the people," asserting that this election "has ushered in a new era of opportunity for both Iran and the world."
"We call upon Western nations to acknowledge the realities and foster relationships grounded in mutual respect and parity. We stand ready to manage tensions and engage in dialogue with those governments that have yet to recognize Iran's dignity and status.
"I affirm that the normalization of economic and trade relations with the global community is Iran's inalienable right, and I will tirelessly strive to lift these unjust sanctions," Pezeshkian said.
Vowing to stand strong on the world stage, which has seen Iran subject to sanctions for its nuclear program, human rights abuses and support of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, he said "the leadership will not succumb to pressure or excessive demands" while vowing to continue negotiations to lift the crippling sanctions.
"My administration will never yield to coercion, pressure, or double standards. The experience of over two decades of negotiations with Iran should have imparted to the negotiating governments that we have always upheld and will continue to uphold our commitments," he added.
In his opening remarks, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said "the tragic death of late President Ebrahim Raisi and his companions presented a renewed test for the Islamic Republic of Iran in the eyes of global analysts", referring to the sudden death of Raisi who was killed in a freak helicopter crash.
He said through Khamenei, the event had become "a symbol of stability in Islamic Iran" as MPs chanted the slogan "Death to America" and "Death to Israel".
He stated, "The Parliament will utilize all available tools to support the government in the challenging path ahead."
Pezeshkian, consistent with his previous addresses, underscored the importance of adhering to the overarching policies championed by Khamenei.
The inauguration of new presidents in Iran involves a two-step process. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei initially endorses the president-elect in an official ceremony known as Tanfiz. Subsequently, the newly endorsed president formally takes the oath of office before the parliament in the Tahlif ceremony.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei gave Pezeshkian the official presidential mandate on July 28 (Tanfiz) in a ceremony attended by multiple officials and dignitaries.
The president is allocated 15 days to submit his proposed cabinet ministers to the parliament for a vote of confidence, which is anticipated on September 5th.
Iran's state media reported that more than 80 foreign delegations from various countries and international organizations attended the swearing-in ceremony which Iranian officials said was a sign of the Islamic Republic's recognition on the global stage.
UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed, Tajikistan’s President Emomali Rahmon, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, and Enrique Mora, the Chief of Staff to EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, were among the highest-ranking guests.
Other foreign guests represented neighboring countries and a few friendly governments in Africa and Latin America, and a low level delegation from Iran's ally and biggest oil consumer, China.
Before the ceremony on Tuesday, Pezeshkian met with leaders of Iran's regional proxies including Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and Mohammed Abdul-Salam, the spokesman for Yemen's Houthi Ansarullah movement, to express support for their actions against Israel.
On October 7, Gaza-based Hamas invaded Israel, killing 1,200 mostly civilians and taking over 250 more hostage. Since then, Iran's proxies have mobilized in support of the Palestinian group designated by countries including the UK.
Both Israeli and US targets in the region have come under fire from Iran's militias across the Middle East.
Since November, under the orders of Khamenei, the Iran-backed Houthis have significantly disrupted international commercial shipping in the Red Sea by attacking cargo ships and tankers in a bid to force Israel into a ceasefire amid the war in Gaza.
The United States and Britain have retaliated several times against Houthi military targets, yet have failed to deter the militia, which rules over more than half of Yemen.
The situation escalated this month when, for the first time, Israel's defense system failed to intercept a Houthi drone aimed at Tel Aviv. The drone struck an apartment building near the US Embassy branch office in Tel Aviv, resulting in the death of one person and injuring ten others.
