In the wake of the unprecedented terrorist assaults in Israel over the weekend, senior members of the Lebanese-based and Iran-backed Hezbollah have threatened to commit similar operations against Israel from Lebanon, but on a far greater scale.
On Sunday, Hezbollah’s Executive Council head, Hashem Safieddine, said in a televised speech that the images of Hamas’ attack against the safeguarded and secured settlements, along with the murder and hostage-taking, was humiliating for Israel and be utilized as an example of the capabilities of the heroic Palestinian resistance fighters.
According to a translation of his words supplied by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), Safieddine said to imagine when these images repeat themselves one day but on a greater scale.
MEMRI also highlighted comments made by Hezbollah spokesman Hashem Salhab on Sunday, in which he said that the terrorist strike was a practice run for a bigger operation meant to end Israel as a threat anywhere it exists, not just in Palestine.
On October 14, the Saudi media outlet Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, based in London, reported that Iran-backed Iraqi Shi’ite militia delegations had arrived in Syria and Lebanon to gather information and coordinate with “local” militias before possible involvement in the conflict with Israel.
The militias are poised to join the conflict if Iran gives them a precise order. This scenario matches remarks made by commanders of several Iraqi militias since the October 7 start of the Hamas assault, who have spoken out in favor of Hamas. If Israel breaches any “red lines” in its campaign against Hamas, begins a second front in Lebanon, or the U.S. intervenes militarily to help Israel, these militia commanders have warned to take military action on Israel and U.S. interests in the area.
The report said Iran and other regional allies may encourage Iraqi government leaders to engage in a larger Palestinian-Israeli war as the Gaza Strip crisis deteriorates.
One of the primary worries is that the “allies” in Lebanon and Syria will be directly threatened. The report shows Iran may be trying to prevent this, but the Iraqis do not know how that would be possible.
