Jerusalem, July 29 : Israel's security cabinet gathered on Sunday night to deliberate on retaliation measures against Hezbollah following a rocket strike on Saturday that killed 12 youngsters in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights, according to Israeli officials, despite international appeals to prevent further regional escalation.

The cabinet ministers had granted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant the authority "to decide on the manner of the response against Hezbollah, and on its timing", Xinhua news agency reported, citing a statement issued following the meeting.

The statement did not specify how Israel would respond to the attack.

Earlier in the day, Netanyahu held a security assessment with top security officials at the Kirya military base in Tel Aviv, his office said in a statement. He reviewed potential options for retaliation against Hezbollah, the Lebanese armed group which Israel holds responsible for the rocket attack.

Hezbollah, engaged in ongoing fighting with Israeli forces along the Israel-Lebanon border since October 7 last year, denied any involvement in the strike.

The rocket hit a football pitch in Majdal Shams, a Druze town in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights, during a football training session.

Senior Israeli officials warned that the country's response could lead to "several days" of intensive conflict with Hezbollah, according to a report on Israel's state-owned Kan TV news.

Following a situation assessment at the Northern Command with Commander Uri Gordin, Galant announced that the military had been instructed to prepare for any potential developments and to maintain "full readiness".

The Israeli foreign ministry issued a statement condemning the attack as a "crossing of all red lines by Hezbollah" and urged the international community to enforce United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, which calls for the disarmament of Hezbollah, to prevent a full-scale war.