As Israel anticipates an Iranian attack or one from Hezbollah in retaliation for the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and Hezbollah military leader Fouad Shukr in the southern Beirut suburb, Israeli Channel 12 reported on Sunday that GPS services in Tel Aviv and its surroundings have been disrupted.
Sources close to Hezbollah confirmed that "the response to the killing of Fouad Shukr is certain; however, the timing depends on field calculations and circumstances, including whether it will occur independently or in coordination with allies in the region." They also indicated that "Hezbollah's response will correspond in magnitude to the dual targeting of leader Shukr and the southern suburb, and it will not be tied to engagement rules on the supporting front for Gaza."
This implies that Hezbollah, which has adhered to traditional engagement rules in the ongoing conflict along the blue line with Israel for over 10 months, will not be "obliged" to apply these rules in its response to the targeting of the southern suburb and the killing of one of its most prominent leaders, as confirmed by analysts and observers.
Furthermore, sources clarified that "the party's structure does not allow for any position to remain vacant; therefore, an organized appointment of Shukr’s replacement has occurred according to the internal structure." They emphasized that "there will be no retreat from the war supporting Gaza and retribution for the crime of killing Shukr, and the nature of the response to his murder will not resemble the responses to the killings of three previous leaders: Haj Abu Talib, Wissam Al-Tawil, and Haj Abu Naima."
They pointed out the necessity for ongoing diplomatic efforts to restrain Israel and return it to adherence to the engagement rules, noting that there is no expectation for the outcomes of these efforts given the American laxity that can alone curb Israeli violence, according to the same sources.
In this context, official sources confirmed to "Al-Arabiya.net" and "Al-Hadath.net" that "diplomatic activity is ongoing and aims to spare Lebanon from a wide-scale war and to implement Resolution 1701 to stabilize the south." The official sources limited their comments to stating that "the atmosphere is uncomfortable, and we rely on the results of diplomatic efforts to curb the escalation."
