Hezbollah may act independently of Iran in potential attack on Israel, media outlet
Shafaq News/ Lebanese Hezbollah appears to be planning an independent strike against Israel, potentially moving faster than Iran in its preparations, two sources familiar with the intelligence told CNN.
CNN quoted one source indicating that Hezbollah, the Lebanese militant group, is accelerating its plans and may target Israel in the coming days. In contrast, Iran is reportedly still determining its response to the situation, with some US military officials noting that while Iran has made some preparations for a major attack, they are not yet fully in place.
Given Lebanon's proximity to Israel, Hezbollah could act with little notice, unlike Iran, according to the second source.
There is currently no clear evidence of coordination between Hezbollah and Iran regarding a potential attack, and officials suggest the two may not be fully aligned on their approach.
The potential attacks are reportedly in response to recent events, including Israel's killing of Hezbollah's top military commander, Fuad Shokor, in Lebanon last week. The following day, Israel assassinated Hamas' political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, in Tehran. Israel has not confirmed or denied its involvement in the latter incident; however, Iranian authorities confirmed that Tel Aviv is behind the attack.
"Hezbollah and Iran can respond to the Israeli assassinations but will act cautiously and carefully," Hezbollah's secretary-general Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said.
In the wake of these developments, global attention is focused on the region. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) convened an extraordinary meeting on Wednesday in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to address the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The meeting resulted in a draft communiqué condemning Israel's actions and expressing solidarity with the Palestinian cause.
The communiqué notably condemned the assassination of Haniyeh, calling it a "heinous crime" and a violation of international law and the UN Charter. The OIC warned that such actions undermine regional security and stability.
US President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken have been actively engaging with leaders across the Middle East this week, including those from Jordan, Qatar, and Egypt, to urge de-escalation in the region.
