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)

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."