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CNN: Hezbollah Could Strike Israel Independent of Iran

Hezbollah fighters carry the casket of slain top commander Fuad Shukr, during his funeral procession in Beirut's southern suburbs on August 1, 2024. (Photo by Khaled DESOUKI / AFP)
Hezbollah fighters carry the casket of slain top commander Fuad Shukr, during his funeral procession in Beirut's southern suburbs on August 1, 2024. (Photo by Khaled DESOUKI / AFP)
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CNN: Hezbollah Could Strike Israel Independent of Iran

Hezbollah fighters carry the casket of slain top commander Fuad Shukr, during his funeral procession in Beirut's southern suburbs on August 1, 2024. (Photo by Khaled DESOUKI / AFP)
Hezbollah fighters carry the casket of slain top commander Fuad Shukr, during his funeral procession in Beirut's southern suburbs on August 1, 2024. (Photo by Khaled DESOUKI / AFP)

Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah group looks increasingly like it may strike Israel independent of whatever Iran may intend to do, sources familiar with the intelligence told CNN on Thursday.
Last week, Israel killed the top military commander for Hezbollah, Fuad Shukr, in Lebanon.
One of the sources said “Hezbollah is moving faster than Iran in its planning and is looking to strike Israel in the coming days."
Iran, meanwhile, appears to still be working out how it plans to respond to the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas leader and former Palestinian Prime Minister, in Tehran, multiple officials have told CNN.
Hezbollah, meanwhile, could act with little to no notice, given Lebanon’s proximity to Israel as its direct neighbor to the north, which is not true of Iran, a second source familiar with the intelligence told the US news agency.
It is not clear how or if Iran and Hezbollah are coordinating on a possible attack right now, the person added.
On Thursday, Israel warned of a "disproportionate response" if Hezbollah attacks civilians or military bases in central Israel.
A German news agency reported that Israeli media conveyed concern that Hezbollah might attack Israeli military bases in the center of Tel Aviv.
Israel told the US that if Hezbollah harms Israeli civilians as part of its retaliation for the assassination of its top military commander, Israel’s response would be “disproportionate."

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In Lebanon, Life on Hold Four Times Amid Conflict

A billboard in a Beirut street features images of Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas’s political bureau, Hezbollah leader Fouad Shukr, and Qasem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force (Reuters)
A billboard in a Beirut street features images of Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas’s political bureau, Hezbollah leader Fouad Shukr, and Qasem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force (Reuters)
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In Lebanon, Life on Hold Four Times Amid Conflict

A billboard in a Beirut street features images of Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas’s political bureau, Hezbollah leader Fouad Shukr, and Qasem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force (Reuters)
A billboard in a Beirut street features images of Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas’s political bureau, Hezbollah leader Fouad Shukr, and Qasem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force (Reuters)

Since Hezbollah opened a front in southern Lebanon to support Gaza, Lebanese lives have been upended, with fears that this support could escalate into a devastating war.
The conflict has seen four key moments. Initially, diplomatic efforts tried to contain the situation. Tensions grew after the Israeli military killed Hamas leader Saleh al-Arouri in Beirut’s southern suburbs in early January. This led to a flurry of diplomatic activity aimed at preventing the war from spreading.
The third phase came after Israel's killing of Iranian Revolutionary Guard leaders at the Iranian consulate in Damascus and Iran’s retaliation. The fourth phase is unfolding now, with Israel recently assassinating Hezbollah leader Fuad Shukr in Beirut’s southern suburbs and Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.
This has left Lebanon in suspense, with everyday life paused as everyone waits for responses from Iran, Hezbollah, and Israel.
The strategies of both sides have shifted. Hezbollah thought that attacking northern Israeli settlements would force Israel to stop its assault on Gaza and meet its demands.
However, Hezbollah’s goals were not met. On the other hand, the Israeli military believed that its strikes in Lebanon and Syria would make Hezbollah retreat and comply with Resolution 1701 by withdrawing north of the Litani River. This has not happened, despite international pressure.
Whenever tensions rose, diplomatic efforts were made to prevent the conflict from widening. These efforts succeeded in stopping the war from expanding before the recent assassinations of Shukr and Haniyeh but failed to de-escalate or end the current conflict.
A diplomatic source, speaking under the conditions of anonymity, told Asharq Al-Awsat that international efforts have not yet managed to ease the tensions between Israel and Hezbollah.
Lebanon is now facing crucial and challenging days as it awaits Hezbollah’s response to the assassinations and Israel’s reaction.
The source pointed out that embassy closures and urgent evacuation warnings from Western embassies underline the serious risks, signaling that any major attack on Israel could have severe consequences for Lebanon.
The source hopes that all parties understand that the ongoing diplomatic efforts are the last chance to avoid a wider war.
As Lebanon waits for Hezbollah’s response to the killing of Shukr and Iran’s reaction to the assassination of Haniyeh, the country is facing high tension.
Western and Arab embassies have urgently advised their citizens to leave Lebanon, and most airlines have suspended flights to Beirut International Airport.