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Avi Melamed quoted by David Averre in the article For Daily Mail, Israel and the US are trying to pressure Hamas into a deal by undermining Iran’s control over Lebanon and dealing huge blow to Hezbollah with tech explosions, ex-IDF intelligence agent says
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Melamed said: ‘It becomes clear that the US and Israel are signalling Iran directly. By taking decisive action, they aim to force Iran to pressure Hamas into a compromise, particularly as Israel threatens to strike Hezbollah at a time when the group is vulnerable, potentially undermining Iran’s control over Lebanon and weakening its most significant proxy.
Melamed, who worked in the IDF’s counterintelligence branch, said that this repositioning, combined with the losses Hezbollah suffered ‘create a context of increased pressure on Iran to rein in the Sinwar brothers.’
Israel and the US are vying to push Hamas into a ceasefire deal by threatening Iran’s control over Lebanon, an ex-Israeli intelligence officer has claimed.
Though it has not officially commented on the two waves of explosions that rocked Lebanon on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon, killing more than 30 and leaving thousands injured, Israel has been blamed for the deadly attacks.
Former Israeli intelligence official Avi Melamed told MailOnline he believed the move aimed to pressure Hamas into taking an unfavourable ceasefire deal.
Melamed said: ‘It becomes clear that the US and Israel are signalling Iran directly. By taking decisive action, they aim to force Iran to pressure Hamas into a compromise, particularly as Israel threatens to strike Hezbollah at a time when the group is vulnerable, potentially undermining Iran’s control over Lebanon and weakening its most significant proxy.
‘In the wake of the second wave, Israel moved its 98th Division close to its border with Lebanon, and mobilised tanks along the border region.’
Melamed, who worked in the IDF’s counterintelligence branch, said that this repositioning, combined with the losses Hezbollah suffered ‘create a context of increased pressure on Iran to rein in the Sinwar brothers.’
This Iranian pressure could force them into an agreement to prevent escalation in the north, which would destabilise Lebanon and challenge Hezbollah’s authority. Ultimately it positions Sinwar as a significant threat to Tehran’s broader ambitions. Iran likely views Sinwar’s defiance as a risk to its overarching interests.’
The US twice denied any ties to the explosions on Tuesday and Wednesday.
CNN reported that Israel notified the US ahead of Tuesday’s pager detonations, though did not give American officials any details as to what was planned.
Officials in Jerusalem have so far declined to comment on yesterday’s pager blasts, but Axios reports that two sources ‘with knowledge of the operation’ confirmed Israel’s involvement.
Dramatic video shows the moment an explosion can be heard at a funeral gathering, with smoke rising over the crowds which then disperse
The unnamed sources allege that the walkie-talkies were booby-trapped in advance by Israeli intelligence and then delivered to Hezbollah as part of its emergency communications system, which the group had planned to use during a war with Israel.
The compromised walkie-talkies were said to be part of Hezbollah’s emergency back-up communications system, in the event of their pagers not working.
‘It was a use it or lose it moment,’ a US official told website Axios. Security experts described the simultaneous bombings as an audacious tactical move, disabling thousands of Hezbollah fighters and spreading chaos through the organisation.
The pagers are said to have repeatedly beeped and flashed their screens to attract the victims’ attention before blowing up, causing hideous facial injuries.
The original plan was for Israel to explode the 5,000 pagers as an opening move in an ‘all-out’ offensive against the terror group, according to reports.
Avi Melamed quoted by David Averre in the article For Daily Mail, Israel and the US are trying to pressure Hamas into a deal by undermining Iran’s control over Lebanon and dealing huge blow to Hezbollah with tech explosions, ex-IDF intelligence agent says
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