مصدر أمني: ناشط حماس الذي نجا من محاولة اغتيال إسرائيلية لعب دورا هاما في مشروع مشترك مع حزب الله لتهريب أجزاء صواريخ إيرانية حديثة من لبنان إلى غزة بحرًا
מקור ביטחוני: פעיל חמאס שנפצע בניסיון התנקשות ישראלי מילא תפקיד חשוב בפרוייקט משותף עם חיזבאללה להברחת חלקי רקטות איראניות חדישות מלבנון לעזה דרך הים
A little-known Hamas operative in Lebanon was seriously wounded in a failed assassination attempt earlier today. Lebanese and Palestinians authorities speculated that the “hit” was the work of Israeli intelligence. An Israeli security source confirmed this report to me.
He added that Mohamed Hamdan was targeted because he was leading a new Hamas-Hezbollah weapons initiative which allegedly shipped Iranian rocket parts by sea from Lebanon to Gaza. If this part of the report is correct, it would be significant because while Hezbollah and Hamas are both known enemies of Israel, there are few known instances in which they’ve cooperated in any way in their mutual fight against it.
To offer but one example, though Israeli military figures worried that during offensives against Gaza that Hezbollah would mount operations in the north to both aid Hamas and exploit Israeli distraction on the southern front, this never happened. Nor when Israel invaded Lebanon did Hamas mount attacks in the south. Hitherto, these two Islamist groups have not joined in their mutual fight. This could mark a radical and dangerous departure, from Israel’s perspective.
Such a joint weapons operation also involving importing Iranian rockets into Gaza would mark an important effort by Iran to create an effective two-front battle against Israel. This is a development which Israel would want to sabotage at the first opportunity. Though given Iran and Hezbollah’s success in their Syrian campaign, it would be hard to see how Israel could entirely succeed if their adversaries were committed to this effort and thought it would benefit their military interests in the long-term.
Another purpose to such an Israeli “hit” would be to remind Hezbollah that while there may be a truce in effect on the Lebanese border, Israel can still strike in the heart of Lebanon at will against its enemies. While both Hezbollah and Lebanese security services have succeeded in breaking up a number of high-profile spy rings working on Israel’s behalf, this has not exhausted Israel’s capabilities, or so the intended message might go.
It’s not clear why the assassination failed, though the Reuters report said the bomb exploded as Hamdan was about to get in the car. This would indicate that the timing of the explosion was wrong, unlike when a similar car bomb succeeded in killing Imad Mugniyeh in Damascus several years ago. Reports by Ronen Bergman claimed that U.S. intelligence also collaborated with the Mossad in that operation.
The security source also specifically wished to debunk a statement by Israel’s intelligence minister, Israel Katz. The latter actually has no intelligence experience, nor do the nation’s intelligence agencies actually report to him. In fact, the intelligence services consider him little more than a joke.
Katz denied that Israel was behind the assassination attempt, saying that had it actually been responsible, Israel wouldn’t have failed to kill him. My source derided this statement saying:
The so-called intelligence minister proved again he knows nothing about Israeli intelligence’s secret operations. I recall more than one case in which our target wasn’t hurt at all, let alone being lightly wounded.”
Given that Israeli security officials are loath to admit they ever fail, I asked whether he would mention a specific operation which did fail. He replied that the Shin Bet had targeted a Hamas militant leader in 2003, a year before Yasir Arafat either died naturally or was poisoned. While earlier attempts using conventional means had failed, the agency finally succeeded by poisoning his food.
For Israeli security services to use their own failures as a way to debunk Katz indicates just how much animus there is against him.
‘…though Israeli military figures worried that during offensives against Gaza that Hezbollah would mount operations in the north to both aid Hamas and exploit Israeli distraction on the southern front, this never happened…’
I’d speculate that this is because — Israel’s fantasies notwithstanding — Hezbollah’s concerns were almost entirely parochial. It wouldn’t exist at all if Israel hadn’t invaded Lebanon, and I’d bet that if Israel had left it alone, it would have left Israel alone.
…although perhaps this latest incident demonstrates that this has finally changed. Israel’s made another friend!
” while Hezbollah and Hamas are both known enemies of Israel, there are few known instances in which they’ve cooperated in any way in their mutual fight against it.”
Who do you suppose, made the shidduch?
@ Ed: Probably Rafi Eitan, the Mossad agent who was the midwife of both movements on behalf of Israeli intelligence.
‘@ Ed: Probably Rafi Eitan, the Mossad agent who was the midwife of both movements on behalf of Israeli intelligence.’
Speaking of which, anyone notice that bit that went by a year or two ago, where Israel crowed — briefly –about how the head of Hezbollah’s overseas operations had been an Israeli agent?
The thing was, the period in question included the Burgas bombing. Think about the implications of THAT.
Hence, I would speculate, the abruptly stifled cockadoodledoo. It must have dawned on Israel that the inference was that either Israel at least known of the bombing in advance or that Hezbollah had nothing to do with it.
It is high time Hezbollah starts to target Israeli military/intelligence personnel too. It might be difficult, but they do also have their operatives in Israel so it should be possible to mount similar actions.
What’s more, Israel also needs a serious reminder that its last incursion into Lebanon (2006) was a disaster for the Zionist state, and that any new attack on Lebanon will result in yet greater mayhem.
‘It is high time Hezbollah starts to target Israeli military/intelligence personnel too…’
I think this sort of thing tends to overlook the point of view of Hezbollah itself.
Of course 2006 was unpleasant for Israel, and she would be loath to repeat it.
However, I doubt 2006 was especially pleasant for Hezbollah either. It’s important to realize that whatever Zionist egotism may lead Israel to think, destroying Israel isn’t actually Hezbollah’s sole purpose in life.
Rather, Hezbollah seeks to advance the Shia cause in Lebanon. Looked at in that way, it would be singularly stupid of Hezbollah to mount assassinations of Israelis, and I suspect she would only do such things if Israel provokes her beyond endurance — as she did in 2006.
Israel’s the obnoxious neighbor with the pit bulls. You don’t attack her; you just try to make it clear you will hurt those dogs if they come onto your property, and in the meantime, hope earnestly that she somehow goes away. Hezbollah seeks to deter Israel, not provoke her.
“Hezbollah seeks to deter Israel, not provoke her.”
I agree, but that deterrence needs to be beefed up because Israel tends to get self-delusions of invincibility. And the way to beef up Hezbollah’s deterrence is what I stated.
‘…the way to beef up Hezbollah’s deterrence is what I stated.’
The way to beef up Hezbollah’s deterrence would to help her get her better arms.
However, I suspect that for an American citizen to seek to do this would be illegal. Therefore, I will do nothing of the kind. I’m merely making an entirely hypothetical observation. I believe that is still legal.
@Colin
You disgrace the memory of United States Navy Diver Robert Stetham, murdered by Hezbollah terrorists who dumped Stetham’s body on the tarmac of Beirut Airport. You disgrace the memory of scores, if not hundreds of Americans murdered by the terrorist ‘Party of God’.
http://www.kpbs.org/news/2012/jun/14/navy-robert-stethem-killed-hijackers-twa-847/
You are beneath contempt.
@ Ed: Oh please, enough with the dramatics. Every party to this conflict from Palestinian militants to Hezbollah to Israel to the U.S. have killed, tortured and maimed in cold blood. All in the name of their truth or national interest or God or whatever. Get down off that high horse and worry about your own sins before bitching about those of others.
Another thing I hate is terror porn. For every tragedy you can bring up I can bring two. Big deal.
Not to mention, since when have you be one so moved at the death of Robert Stethem? Methinks your newfound passion for his tragic case is manufactured.