A monitoring group also reported that a strike took place. Rami Abdel Rahman, the head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, told the German news agency DPA that Israeli warplanes fired at least six rockets on depots in the area of Qutaifa, north-east of Damascus.
It was not immediately clear if the targeted sites belong to the Syrian army or its allied Lebanese Hezbollah movement, he added.
The reports have not been officially confirmed.
The Israeli army said that the military does not respond to foreign reports.
Hezbullah chieftain Hassan Nasrallah has issued a number of threats against Israel recently, but he's been warned by Arab states not to try anything. Here's betting that this doesn't draw him out of his bunker either.
Trump effect: Arabs warn Hezbullah not to attack Israel (with a song you'll remember fondly)
What a difference a month makes.
An 'Arab official' has warned Hezbullah warlord Hassan Nasrallah not to attack Israel in light of President Donald Trump's support for the Jewish state.
According to a report in Al Hayat, published in London, an Arab
official warned Hezbollah that Israel would forcefully strike back
against any military attack the organization carries out and severely
damage Lebanon.
According to the report, the official said that Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu's ability to recruit "regional assistance" against
Hezbollah is high due to the era of US President Donald Trump. The
official further urged Hezbollah to behave cautiously and prudently.
Let's go to the videotape.
I wonder which Arab official warned Nasrallah not to attack....
The Hill implies (as did many others over the weekend) that Hezbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah is backing Donald Trump.
The leader of Lebanon's militant Hezbollah group agreed with Donald Trump when he said President Obama founded the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
"This
is an American presidential candidate who is saying this. What he says
is based on facts and documents," said Hassan Nasrallah, according to The Associated Press.
Trump on Wednesday called Obama the founder of ISIS and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton the co-founder.
He doubled down on the claim Thursday in an interview with Hugh Hewitt.
“No,
I meant that he’s the founder of ISIS,” Trump said. “He was the most
valuable player. I gave him the most valuable player award."
But Friday, Trump tweeted that he was being facetious.
"Ratings
challenged @CNN reports so seriously that I call president Obama (and
Clinton) 'the founder' of ISIS, & MVP. THEY DON'T GET SARCASM?"
Jonathan Schanzer has the best retort I've seen to the entire Trump/Nasrallah/ISIS story.
Hezbollah also happens to love Obama's Iran policy. So, I guess Nasrallah is bipartisan? https://t.co/68BI6PvJwo
Hassan Nasrallah pays a shiva call... to a 'Palestinian' terrorist's father
Shavua Tov and a good week to everyone from New York City (okay, one of the boroughs).
Hezbullah chieftain Hassan Nasrallah paid a shiva (condolence) call by phone on Saturday to the family of Asharqat Katani. Katani was a 16-year old 'Palestinian' terrorist who was neutralized after attempting to stab Israelis at a hitchhiking post in Samaria this past week.
According to the Hezbollah-affiliated satellite television station
Al-Meyadeen, Nasrallah told the woman's father that his daughter
reminded the Lebanese Shi'ite leader of his son, Hadi, who was killed in
battle with IDF soldiers in Lebanon in 1997.
A portion of the
conversation between Nasrallah and the Palestinian father was aired on
Al-Meyadeen. At the end of their phone call, Nasrallah asked if there
was anything he could do for the family.
The father responded
that he would be pleased if Nasrallah mentioned his daughter's name
during his next speech. The Hezbollah leader agreed to do so.
Too bad Nasrallah did not offer to resettle the family in Lebanon.
#ThanksObama Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif meets Hezbullah's Nasrallah in Beirut - UPDATED
Now that Iran doesn't have the United States to counterbalance it, the Mullahcracy is doing all the things it always wanted to do - like Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif meeting openly with Hezbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah for the first time since 2010. This is from the first link.
Sayyed Nasrallah received Dr. Zarif and the associating delegation,
said a statement released by Hezbollah Media Relations, adding that the
meeting was attended by the Iranian ambassador in Lebanon Mohammad
Fatahali.
Hezbollah S.G. and Zarif discussed latest developments in Lebanon and the region, the statement said.
The meeting also tackled efforts aimed at finding solutions to the
current crises in several countries, as well as the outcomes of the
nuclear agreement reached between Iran and the world powers last month
in Vienna, the statement added.
Actually, it's more like Lebanon is being treated as an Iranian vassal state. An impressive array of Lebanese politicians is lining up to meet with Zarif.
Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif arrived in
Beirut on Tuesday, highlighting the importance of coordination among the
countries in the region to face challenges.
He said: “We hope that the nuclear deal will pave the way to opening a new chapter of ties between countries in the region.”
He made his remarks upon his arrival at Rafik Hariri International Airport on Tuesday afternoon.
He emphasized that his talks with Lebanese officials will tackle cooperation between Beirut and Tehran.
“We are in great need of dialogue and cooperation to confront regional challenges,” added the foreign minister.
Earlier, media reports said that he will stress to
Lebanese officials that Tehran's stance towards Syria and Hizbullah has
not changed.
Diplomatic sources told al-Joumhouria daily that Zarif
will send a clear message to the parties claiming Iran will turn its
back on Syria and Hizbullah that Tehran continues to back its allies in
the region.
Many critics have said that a nuclear deal signed
between Iran and major powers in Vienna last month will lead to a change
in the Iranian stance.
During his two-day official visit, Zarif is scheduled to
meet with Speaker Nabih Berri, Prime Minister Tammam Salam, Foreign
Minister Jebran Bassil and Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah.
It was not clear if the Iranian Foreign Minister would also visit Free Patriotic Movement leader MP Michel Aoun in Rabieh.
Hussein Obama's dream come true - Iran is behaving like a regional power. What could go wrong? #ThanksObama.
The Iran nuclear deal presents an “historic opportunity” to combat
Israeli “threats,” Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told
Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah during a Tuesday meeting in Beirut,
Hezbollah’s al-Manar television station said Wednesday.
“Zarif said from Beirut that the nuclear
agreement between Tehran and the world powers created a historic
opportunity to [sic] for regional cooperation to fight extremism and
face threats posed by the Zionist entity,” al-Manar reported.
Along with the Syrian regime, the
Lebanon-based terror group Hezbollah is funded by Iran. Hezbollah has
dispatched thousands of fighters to support embattled Syrian President
Bashar Assad in the country’s five-year civil war.
Ah yes, greetings from the 'Zionist entity'....
Zarif is headed for Damascus later today where they have quite a greeting waiting for him.
Rebels fired dozens of rockets at central Damascus on Wednesday, a
monitor and state media said, ahead of an expected visit to the Syrian
capital by Iran's foreign minister.
The bombardment killed at
least one person and injured more than 20 others, the Syrian Observatory
for Human Rights, a British-based monitor, said.
Foreign
Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif was expected to head for Damascus from
Beirut later in the day, according to Iranian state media. An Iranian
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said he would be discussing a new plan to
resolve the war.
I can think of one thing that might go a long way in 'resolving the war.' A well-aimed rebel rocket that kills both Assad and Zarif.
Oh my... Hezbullah admits it cannot launch war against Israel alone
In an April 6 interview with the Syria News TV channel, Hizbullah
Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah said: "Are we supposed to lie to
our people and ourselves, saying that we are capable of launching a war
against Israel, wiping it off the map, and liberating Palestine?
Hizbullah is incapable of doing this all by itself."
Let's go to the videotape.
And with that, Nasrallah crawled back into his cave.... BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
In the previous post, I noted that Lebanon understands that if Hezbullah attacks Israel from its territory, Lebanon will suffer. While Lebanon gets it, Hezbullah could care less. Moreover, it is possible that even if Hezbullah attacks Israel from Syria, Israel may respond by hitting Lebanon. Israel is also threatening that if it is dragged into the conflict in Syria, it might just put an end to the Assad regime. In the meantime, Hezbullah cannot stop bragging about its activities in Syria. This is from the second link, a lengthy analysis by Lee Smith.
The throngs attending the younger Mughniyeh’s funeral on
January 19 yelled “Death to America” only once. “I counted,” says Lokman
Slim, an anti-Hezbollah Shiite activist. “And they said ‘Death to
Israel’ only a few times. Then they went to more religious slogans.”
According to Slim, the scaled-down rhetoric and modest
size of the funeral are evidence that Hezbollah is caught in a bind.
“The [Lebanese Shiites] don’t want another war with Israel,” says Slim,
“but they also want to know Hezbollah can protect them like it says.”
...
“The Shia are supposed to side with justice against
injustice,” says Slim. “Shia stand with the underdog. And now Hezbollah
is fighting alongside a dictatorial regime.” Moreover, Hezbollah has
also staked the Shiites to a position against the regional Sunni
majority in a war whose best outcome, says Slim, can only be a political
settlement. “Hezbollah will have fought this war, and at the end the
Shia will ask to what purpose did we sacrifice so much?” The worst
outcome, says Slim, is a war that won’t end.
“Maybe trauma,” says Slim, “is the only way back from
divinity.” Maybe. We’re on the road heading south to the Shiite
heartland to see.
...
Outside of Lebanon’s Shiite regions, it is very difficult
to get a sense of how profoundly the war in Syria has injured the
community. Exactly how many Lebanese Shiites have been killed there is
unknown—high-end estimates are more than a thousand in the last two
years—or even how many are fighting. Slim says the numbers miss the
point. “Let’s say there are 3,000 Hezbollah combatants in Syria, but
then take into account all the other things you need, everything from
intelligence to logistics, and there are perhaps 20,000 committed to the
war. For instance, a father and his two sons have a bulldozer, and
Hezbollah needs them and their machine in Syria, so they pay them double
to be there.”
Hezbollah is unaccustomed to waging a long war of
attrition like this, far from the Lebanese villages where it fought
guerrilla wars against Israel. To be sure, its fighters are becoming a
battle-hardened expeditionary force, but the nature of the war is
reconfiguring Shiite society.
“Boys are dropping out of school to join
the fight,” says Slim. “They enjoy the benefits of manhood earlier than
before, but it’s becoming a community without men, or men who are simply
on leave from Syria and waiting to return. The result,” he says
smiling, “is that the women will become more powerful.”
Black humor underlines how far Hezbollah has fallen from
its divine status. “We have the phenomenon of the widows of the fighters
killed in Syria,” says Slim, “beautiful young girls being courted by
the organization’s senior officials. ‘Hey, if you need anything, just
text me. And if it’s evening, you can reach me on Whatsapp, too.’ ”
The fact that Israel presumably weighed Hezbollah’s
predicament before striking the Mughniyeh/Allahdadi convoy—how the scope
of its deployment in Syria limited its ability to avenge its fallen—is
one of several indignities Nasrallah has to swallow. There’s also the
ongoing issue of treason. Not long before the strike in the Golan,
Hezbollah disclosed that it had found a spy in its ranks, Mohamed
Shawarba, a high-ranking official who allegedly worked for the Mossad.
If Hezbollah was eager to boast of its ability to root out traitors,
Israel’s operation—netting major Hezbollah and Iranian figures—suggests
that its counterintelligence wing has plenty of work left to do, because
the organization is still riddled with spies.
...
We discuss whether Nasrallah will retaliate for last week’s attack and,
if so, when and how. Will there be rocket fire from Lebanon, terrorist
operations abroad, an IED on the border targeting Israeli troops, or an
operation from the Golan? The last, which would come from Syrian
territory, seems safest to most of the Lebanese I’ve spoken with.
However, it’s worth considering that Israel may have struck not because
of an urgent threat near Quneitra, but rather to prevent Iran and
Hezbollah from opening another front from which to attack Israel.
The
Israelis have been watching the Syrian border with concern. Given Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s reputation for being risk averse, it’s
notable that he chose to risk the possibility of war with elections only
two months away. Clearly, the Israeli government will not allow Iran to
use the Golan as a launching pad, and firing on Israel from there in
retaliation would effectively make it a second front. Accordingly,
chances are that an Israeli response, in any escalation, would target
Hezbollah in Lebanon, with the south again bearing the brunt of the
conflict, likely including, according to Israeli strategists, a large
ground operation.
That's the first I've heard of a possible Israeli ground operation in Lebanon, but it's not too surprising. Israel may want to hit Hezbullah while it's down. Read the whole thing.
While Israel prepared for the fallout from last week's elimination of
a top Hezbollah terrorist and an Iranian general on the Golan Heights,
Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon had a message for anyone planning to
attack Israel from the direction of Syria: Israel would hold Damascus
responsible for any “revenge attacks” coming from Syrian territory, to
the extent that Jerusalem would side itself with forces seeking to
unseat Bashar Assad from the leadership of Syria, if necessary.
Tensions remained high in northern Israel in the aftermath of the
elimination of Jihad Mughniyeh, said to be Hezbollah's “commander of the
Golan Heights area,” along with a crew of Hezbollah terrorists, and
Iranian general Abu Ali Tabtabai. Roads in the area of the
Israel-Lebanon border have been closed, and tanks and armored personnel
carriers were reportedly deployed along the northern border. Lebanese
media outlets are reporting Israeli jets and helicopters over the Har
Dov area along the Lebanese border.
This is getting embarrassing... for Hezbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah. Lebanese analysts say that Israel called Hezbullah's bluff with Sunday's strike along the Golan border.
"What happened is that the Israelis called Hizbullah's
bluff last night," said Hilal Khashan, a professor of political science
at the American University in Beirut.
"Hizbullah will not be able to retaliate, because if it
retaliates, it will be another war. Hizbullah is in Syria and it is not
ready for another war against Israel."
Khashan said the movement could resort to small-scale
attacks, like a roadside bomb on the ceasefire line with Israel it
claimed last year, but would avoid a more serious response.
"Nasrallah will say the Israelis are trying to provoke
us to help in their elections and we will not fall into their trap.
That's the best they can do," he added.
Sources close to Hizbullah told As Safir daily that the party's retaliation to Sunday's strike is "inevitable.”
But the officials said the retaliation would not lead to an all-out war.
“The party will take the time it sees necessary to set its next steps with calm and decisiveness,” they added.
In Israel, analysts made the same calculation.
Yes, but Hezbullah is not the sole arbiter of whether there will be a war, nor will it decide when and how Israel might respond to a Hezbullah revenge attack. What if Israel responds by flattening the Dahiyah (Hezbullah's Beirut stronghold) or Beirut Airport?
By the way, Naharnet (the source for the story above) is also claiming that an Israeli 'security source' has confirmed that Israel was behind the strike on the Syrian side of the Golan. Here in Israel, that has not yet been confirmed.
Confirmed: 6 Revolutionary Guards, 5 Hezbullah members, including Jihad Mughniyah killed in IAF strike, Hezbullah mobilizing
Lebanese sources are now confirming that six Iranian Revolutionary Guards and five Hezbullah members were killed in an IAF air strike on Sunday. The Hezbullah members included Jihad Mughniyah, the son of Imad Mughniyah, and the Iranian Revolutionary Guards included Iranian commander Abu Ali al-Tabtabani, the commander of operations in the Golan.
Jihad Moughniyah was killed with four other members of Hezbollah when
his convoy was hit, the sources said. His father, who was on the United
States’ most wanted list for attacks on Israeli and Western targets,
was assassinated in Damascus in 2008.
Hezbollah issued a statement in which it admitted that 5 of its
members were killed including commander Mohammad Issa from ArabSalim.
6 members of the Iranian Revolutionary guards were also reportedly killed in the strike according to Lebanese media reports.
Hezbollah issued a statement after the incident :
“The Israeli enemy’s helicopters fired missiles at a group of
Hezbollah’s fighters who were inspecting the town of Mazraat al-Amal in
the Syrian Quneitra region,” Hizbullah’s media department announced in
the statement.
The strike “resulted in the martyrdom of a number of jihadist
brothers, whose names will be announced later, after informing their
honorable families,” the Hezbollah statement added.
Al-Jadeed ( New) television for its part said “Iranian commander Abu
Ali al-Tabtabani was among the martyrs of the Israeli raid on Golan.”
The original Hezbullah announcement in Arabic may be found here.
1 hour ago
Information obtained by MTV: Nasrallah will tonight deliver a
speech in which he will announce that Hizbullah will retaliate against
Israel with a painful strike.
Hamas keeps telling us that they're 'winning,' but they're faring badly enough that they have now called on Hezbullah to deflect some of the IDF's might by attacking Israel from the North.
Moussa Abu Marzouk, who serves as Khaled Mashaal’s top deputy and who is currently based in Cairo, told the Russian news agency RIA Novosti on Wednesday that the organization hoped that the Lebanese Shi’ite group would engage Israel from the north.
“We hope the Lebanese front will open and together we will fight against this formation [Israel],” Abu Marzouk told RIA Novosti.
“There’s no arguing that Lebanese resistance could mean a lot,” Abu Marzouk said.
Last week, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah vowed to support "the resistance in Gaza in any way necessary" in its fight against the IDF.
Nasrallah made the statements in a phone call with Mashaal and the leader of Islamic Jihad Ramadan Salah.
Talk of Hezbullah joining in is just that - talk. Hezbullah still remembers what it suffered and what Lebanon suffered in 2006, when there was still a colorable argument that Hezbullah was not the same thing as Lebanon. Given Hezbullah's position in the Lebanese government, that argument can no longer be made. Hezbullah is Lebanon and Lebanon is Hezbullah (yes, I know, I argued that was the case in 2006, but it's much more true today). Israel has warned Hezbullah in no uncertain terms that if it attacks, Israel will destroy all of Lebanon's infrastructure (which they started to do in 2006 and then stopped when then-President Fouad Siniora went crying to George Bush). It should take about four hours.
On top of that, Hezbullah is embroiled in defending the Assad regime in Syria (Israel Radio reported last week that Hezbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah's nephew was killed fighting for Assad on the Lebanese - Syrian border last week). It doesn't have the manpower to send after Israel.
And Hezbullah, like Hamas, is dependent on a tunnel network, but one that would not require as much close quarters finding to destroy.
Hezbullah would be foolish to get involved in this. I don't see it happening.
Israel will seek to deal a crushing blow to Hamas's infrastructure in
Judea and Samaria following the kidnapping of three Israeli teenagers,
army radio reported on Monday.
Plans to move against the Islamist terrorist movement were discussed
at a meeting of the security cabinet convened by Prime Minister Binyamin
Netanyahu at which ministers discussed punitive steps against Hamas
which Israel says is behind the kidnapping of three teenagers, media
reports said.
Following the meeting, which lasted around 90 minutes, political
sources said Israel would "attempt, in the coming hours and days, to try
and overthrow Hamas infrastructure in the West Bank," the radio's
political correspondent reported.
There was no immediate comment from Netanyahu's office.
It looks like we're digging in for a long operation. There are apparently very few clues as to where the three teens are being held (no one has suggested that they're no longer among the living, although God forbid that is certainly a possibility), and on Monday the Prime Minister warned that returning them could take time.
Netanyahu, however, warned the nation, that they might not see immediate results to the IDF's intense military operation to find the teens.
...
The premier also threatened to target anyone who attempts to harm Israeli citizens.
Netanyahu
said Israel's main concern at the moment was to locate the three
missing teenagers and deal with Hamas, whom he accuses of conducting the
abduction. The premier said "we must be prepared that this will take
time."
But he offered no news of the teens, who have been missing since late Thursday night.
Does this sound familiar?
Do you know why I posted the picture just above? This is from July 13, 2006 - the day after Hezbullah 'kidnapped' (probably killed on the spot) Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev.
Defense Minister Comrade Peretz told
the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee today that Hezbullah
will not be allowed to return to its former positions in Southern
Lebanon. YNet and the Jerusalem Post are both reporting that under a new
policy, any armed person coming within one kilometer of the Lebanese
border with Israel will be shot.
A
high-ranking IDF source said that the current operation, dubbed
Operation Just Reward, would be "long" and could last up to several
months, or "as long as it takes to destroy the Hizbullah's ability to
launch attacks against Israel."
The IDF source said the Dahiya
neighborhood of Beirut, a Hizbullah stronghold, would be targeted if
rocket attacks continued to hit Israeli cities.
The source said that all terrorists in Dahiya, including Hizbullah head Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah himself, were fair targets for the IDF. "We will operate against all the terrorists who operate against us," he said, warning that civilians inside Dahiya could also be hurt in a possible IDF strike. Nasrallah's family lived in the Dahiya neighborhood.
YNet points out:
A
special center of the operation is expected to be in the al-Dahiya
neighborhood in Beirut, where Nasrallah has established "a state inside a
state," and where he also lives with his family.
IDF officials
refused to say whether Nasrallah himself is being targeted, and settled
for a general statement about "an operation against all terrorists
wherever they are." Leaflets distributed in the neighborhood called on
the residents to leave the area ahead of a possible strike.
Eight years ago, two IDF soldiers were kidnapped by a terror organization. A search and rescue operation was immediately launched, and it became a war to 'destroy Hezbullah's ability to launch attacks on Israel.' It didn't turn out very well, did it?
Okay, one of the reasons that it didn't turn out very well is that the triumvirate of Prime Minister Ehud K. Olmert, 'defense minister' AmirComrade Peretz and forgettable IDF chief of staff Dan Halutz didn't have the stomach for a ground war and attempted to destroy Hezbullah solely from the air. Will Netanyahu, Yaalon and Gantz be better? Maybe.
But the parallels are frightening. Yes, an operation against Hamas is long overdue. But that's completely independent of the fact that they kidnapped three teens.
United against Israel: Fatah, Hamas, Hezbullah... Kerry
With the Hamas-Fatah unity government scheduled to take effect on Monday morning, Prime Minister Netanyahu called the cabinet into emergency session on Sunday night to take measures that frankly are insufficient.
During the cabinet meeting, the ministers agreed to completely halt
negotiations with the Palestinian Authority as long as it remains united
with terror organization Hamas and to lower the amount of money
transferred to the PA.
Why 'lower'? Why not stop altogether?
The Israeli ministers also reconfirmed the decision to deny entry for three Palestinian ministers from Gaza into Ramallah.
An exercise in futility. So long as they remain free, they can meet on Skype or a video conference or however else they want.
An Israeli official warned that the moment the Palestinian Authority
brings Hamas into its government, it will be hard pressed to maintain
its relationship with other countries.
“Hamas is a officially
designated a terrorist organization across the planet,” the Israeli
official said. The official added that the European Union, Great
Britain, and Japan have all declared that Hamas is a terrorist
organization.
Don't bet on it. The 'Palestinians' have different rules than anyone else. Unity with Fatah will be a mikve (ritual bath) for Hamas.
If you need proof of that last statement, consider the reaction of US Secretary of State John FN Kerryin a phone call to Abu Bluff on Sunday.
The US has not publicly stated its position on the reunification of the
Palestinian groups, which have been bitter enemies since Hamas ousted
Fatah from Gaza in a bloody coup in 2007.
Kerry and Abbas discussed the unity government and the peace process, according to the Palestinian president’s office.
Officials there did not divulge Kerry’s remarks.
...
Abbas promised Kerry that the unity government would recognize Israel and renounce violence.
There's no sign that Kerry even tried to talk him out of it. Not that it matters - Fatah is and always was as much of a terror organization as Hamas.
But at least the Arab Muslim world has found the usual thing to agree on: Kill the Jews. Even Hezbullah's Hassan Nasrallah (who is Shiite) met with representatives of Sunni Hamas last week according to a report on Saturday in Beirut's al-Akhbar newspaper.
Hezbollah head Hassan Nasrallah held several lengthy meetings with
prominent Hamas officials last week, a Lebanese newspaper close to the
organization reported on Saturday.
The meetings were meant to
bring about a rapprochement between Shi’ite Hezbollah and its mother
movement in Iran, on one hand, and Sunni Hamas on the other, Al-Akhbar
reported. Several meetings have taken place.
There are two schools of thought as to who killed him and why. Hezbullah rushed to blame Israel for the assassination, and indeed a Lebanese television station is claiming that it was the Mossad that arranged to have Laqqis shot in the head at close range. But a Kuwaiti newspaper is reporting that Laqqis was an Israeli agent, and that Hezbullah itself had him killed.
According to a report by the Lebanese television station
OTV claiming to be based on Western intelligence sources, Laqqis had
been identified as a target for assassination by the Mossad several
years ago, along with other figures in the terrorist organization.
Hezbollah's military chief, Imad Mugniyeh, was killed in 2008
in Damascus when the headrest of his car seat exploded. The OTV report
went on to credit the alleged Mossad hit squad for its impressive
infiltration of one of the most highly guarded neighborhoods in south
Beirut, a Hezbollah stronghold.
...
According to the Kuwaiti
newspaper Al-Seyassah, Laqqis was identified as working with Israeli
intelligence during investigations -- conducted one year ago by security
and intelligence agencies in the country -- into Lebanese citizens
suspected of being Israeli collaborators.
The Al-Seyassah report went on to say that Laqqis
crossed the lines and was killed by a four-man team dispatched by
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.
An unconfirmed posting on Facebook by a Syrian rebel group claims that Hezbullah politburo chief Hassan Nasrallah was injured in a bomb blast that killed 22 members of his group on Sunday.
Syrian rebel forces claim that they have succeeded in injuring Hezbollah
leader Hassan Nasrallah, a Lebanese website reported this morning,
citing a Facebook message. No other source has confirmed the report.
...
According to the report, a commander of the Free Syrian Army
announced that members of Jabhat Al-Nusra, an Islamist Sunni rebel group
linked to Al Qaeda, succeeded in the early morning hours in blowing up
the headquarters where Nasrallah lives in Bint Jbeil, Lebanon.
The Lebanese report relies on a Facebook message published by one of
the rebel organizations, according to which 22 Hezbollah members
guarding Nasrallah were killed during the blast while Nasrallah himself
was injured.
Hezbullah supporters rioted on Friday after a Lebanese television station aired a satire of their leader, Hassan Nasrallah.
The Basmat Watan parody show included an actor playing Nasrallah this
week. The program mocked Hezbollah’s involvement in Syria, which has
become a very touchy subject within the movement.
The show’s “Nasrallah” lamented his group’s involvement in Syria.
When the interviewer agreed, “Nasrallah” clarified that he was upset
because, “Our participation came too late. We should have been there
from day one.”
The show’s “Nasrallah” also expressed regret over Hezbollah’s
extensive weaponry, another controversial topic. The regret: that
Hezbollah’s massive arsenal does not include submarines and an air
force.
The interviewer then asked about Iran’s control of the Lebanese group, leading “Nasrallah” to quickly conclude the interview.
Nasrallah’s supporters took to the streets following the program,
burning tires and blocking roads in various Lebanese cities. The group
reacted similarly following a previous “Nasrallah” appearance on Basmat
Watan in 2006.
The paper quoted an unnamed member of the March 14 alliance, who
claimed that "relations between the Hezbollah and the US are developing
positively."
March 14 is an alliance of Lebanese political factions opposed to the influence of Hezbollah and its Syrian and Iranian patrons.
As further proof of a budding, if as-yet unofficial diplomatic
relationship between the US and the Shia terrorist group, the unnamed MP
pointed out that during his last public address Hezbollah leader Hassan
Nasrallah notably neglected to criticize US foreign policy in Lebanon
and the wider Middle East.
The unnamed source went on to site an alleged statement by the
US's Ambassador to Lebanon David Hale, who he said informed
several Lebanese leaders that "a cabinet can not be formed without
Hezbollah participation."
If true, the rapprochement marks a continuing shift in US foreign
policy towards Iran and its regional allies, and will do little to
assuage the growing feelings of abandonment by America's traditional
allies in the region - in particular the Arab Gulf States and Israel.
It would also be a remarkable shift in relations given Hezbollah's
legacy of bloody attacks against US personnel in the region, including
the infamous October 1983 truck bombing of a multinational forces
barracks in the Lebanese capital which killed 241 American soldiers and
wounded scores more.
Aren't you glad that the American people gave Hussein Obama four more years to destroy the United States' system of alliances? What could go wrong?
BWAHAHAHAHAHA: Sunni group issues warning to 'Pig Nasrallah'
In the aftermath of a huge car bomb in Beirut on Thursday, a Sunni group has claimed responsibility and issued a warning to Hezbullah politburo chief 'Pig Nasrallah.'
Shortly after news of the attack broke, an online video surfaced
showing three masked men, two of them holding rifles, in front of a
white flag inscribed with the Islamic profession of faith, reported AFP.
"You, the pig Hassan Nasrallah, we send you our second powerful
message because you haven't understood yet," said one member of the
group, which called itself the Company of Aisha Umm al-Muminin, the
Prophet Mohammed's favorite wife.
Arab affairs expert Dalit Halevi said that the group also accused the Hezbollah chief of being “an agent of Iran and Israel."
The group members further stated that they will determine the
location and timing of the battle with Hezbollah in Lebanon, and
appealed to the public to stay away from places associated with Iran and
Hezbollah in order to stay safe from future attacks.
Lebanon's political class still fears Hezbullah, so they're doing the safe thing and blaming Israel.
Lebanese president Michel Sleiman was quick to blame Israel for
Thursday’s attack, saying, “This is a criminal act that bears the
fingerprints of terrorism and Israel and is aimed to destabilize Lebanon
and deal a blow to the resilience of the Lebanese.”
Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri also blamed Israel and urged
the Lebanese to unite in the face of dangers. “This crime only serves
the Israeli enemy that is working on dealing a blow to the components of
national unity in Lebanon,” Berri said.
'Pig Nasrallah.' Maybe next time they'll get him. Heh.
Huge car bomb in Hezbullah stronghold in South Beirut kills 20, injures 212, Nasrallah blames 'Zionists'
A powerful car bomb has killed 20 people and injured 212 in Hezbullah's South Beirut stronghold on Thursday night. Hezbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah, whose cave is nearby, blamed the 'Zionists.'
Let's go to the videotape.
The Lebanese Armed Forces stated that 60-80kgs. of explosive
materials were used in the blast. A witness said at least five nearby
buildings were damaged and many cars in the area were destroyed. The
blast sent a column of black smoke over the densely populated area in
the south of the Lebanese capital.
Several minutes after
Thursday's blast, live television footage showed fires still burning in
the street where the explosion took place. The facades of neighboring
residential buildings were also badly damaged.
The attack occurred close to the Sayyed al-Shuhadaa (Martyrs) complex,
where Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah often addresses his
followers.
A witness said that "Hezbollah forces hermetically sealed the area, and dozens of ambulances arrived at the scene."
But it apparently wasn't the Zionists. It was the Sunnis.
A Sunni Islamist group calling itself the Brigades of Aisha claimed
responsibility for the explosion, saying it targeted Hezbollah and
promising more attacks.
"This is the second time that we decide
the place of the battle and its timing...And you will see more, God
willing," said a masked man, flanked by two others brandishing rifles,
in a video statement addressed to Nasrallah.
I am an Orthodox Jew - some would even call me 'ultra-Orthodox.' Born in Boston, I was a corporate and securities attorney in New York City for seven years before making aliya to Israel in 1991 (I don't look it but I really am that old :-). I have been happily married to the same woman for thirty-five years, and we have eight children (bli ayin hara) ranging in age from 13 to 33 years and nine grandchildren. Four of our children are married! Before I started blogging I was a heavy contributor on a number of email lists and ran an email list called the Matzav from 2000-2004. You can contact me at: IsraelMatzav at gmail dot com
