There are growing indications that Hezbollah will decide to strike Israel regardless of Iran's intentions, reports the American station CNN. One source said the organization could carry out an attack in the coming days, while Tehran continues to work out an appropriate response.
There are many indications that Lebanese Hezbollah will attack Israel first, acting independently, without help Iran – predicts CNN on Thursday, which based its information on two sources in American intelligence. According to the first of them, Iran has already made some preparations for the expected attack, but not yet such as, according to the intelligence, would be carried out before a serious attack on Israel. Hezbollah is moving faster in its actions and plans to strike Israel in the coming days – the source added.
A second CNN source noted that, unlike the Iranian strike, the Hezbollah attack may not be preceded by clear signals. It added that it is unclear how cooperation is going between Tehran and Hezbollah, which is Iran's strongest ally, but the two sides may not agree on plans for the strike.
Hezbollah leader Hassan NasrallahWAEL HAMZEH/PAP/EPA
Expected attack by Iran and its allies
Israel is expecting retaliation from Iran and its allies for last week's killings of Hezbollah military leader Fuad Shukr and Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh, who was killed in an attack in the Iranian capital, Tehran. USA and other countries are trying to lower tensions, fearing an uncontrolled escalation in the region that could break out into a full-blown war.
At the same time, the United States has announced assistance in Israel's defense and has reinforced its military in the Middle East. Washington has emphasized that the key to de-escalation is a ceasefire in Israel's 10-month war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Iran is reconsidering its plan for a major attack on Israel under pressure from US diplomacy and its warnings of serious consequences, Politico reported on Wednesday, echoing signals previously published by media outlets.
As the website added, according to American officials, Iran's response is inevitable, but it may be limited in relation to previous assurances and postponed.
The Houthis want revenge as part of the “axis of resistance”
Meanwhile, the Yemeni leader Houthi rebels Abdul Malik al-Houthi announced that his group would join the joint revenge on Israel as part of the “axis of resistance”, and all actions taken by its members, which apart from Iran, means Hezbollah, Hamas and the Houthis, will be coordinated, the Times of Israel wrote on Thursday.
The Houthis carried out an attack on Israel in July that killed one person, which was met with a retaliatory airstrike on the group-controlled city of al-Hudaydah.
Israel's Channel 12 television reported on Wednesday, without citing its sources, that Israel had told Hezbollah and Iran that any civilian casualties in the announced strike would be “crossing a red line” and would lead to a “disproportionate response.”
Main image source: WAEL HAMZEH/PAP/EPA