The assassination of Nasrallah reflects a broader strategy that could destabilize the whole region, said Mohammad Nader al-Omari, a Damascus-based Syrian analyst and international relations expert.
DAMASCUS, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- Israeli attacks on Hezbollah in Lebanon, including killing Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah and other senior figures, have ignited wide concerns over a looming overall escalation across the Middle East, experts said.
The assassination of Nasrallah, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was attending the United Nations General Assembly in New York, reflects not only a calculated show of power but also a broader strategy that could destabilize the whole region, said Mohammad Nader al-Omari, a Damascus-based Syrian analyst and international relations expert.
The Israeli army continues airstrikes on targets in Lebanon in attempts to assassinate leaders of Hezbollah and Hamas.
On Monday, three members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine were killed in an Israeli airstrike targeting a residential building in the al Cola area in central Beirut, marking Israel's first attack on the capital center since 2006, according to the Guardian.
The same day the leader of the Hamas movement in Lebanon, Fateh Sherif, was killed along with his wife and two sons in an Israeli raid on his home in the center of the Rashidieh camp in southern Lebanon, Lebanese military sources told Xinhua.
According to al-Omari, two scenarios might emerge from now. The first, and more likely, is that Israel will expand military operations to restore its deterrence, which has been significantly weakened since the blow to its security dominance on Oct. 7, 2023.
The second scenario involves leveraging the Israeli campaign in Lebanon to invite U.S. and French mediation, to secure a favorable diplomatic outcome for Israel in both Lebanon and Palestine.
"The Israeli government, under Netanyahu, is driven by a right-wing ideological agenda that seeks to consolidate the vision of a Greater Israel," al-Omari said.
"Netanyahu is capitalizing on what he views as a strategic military success to justify broader regional military action," he added.
Netanyahu's speech at the 79th United Nations General Assembly reiterated his administration's commitment to extending Israeli military campaigns, including a direct warning to Iran.
"Netanyahu is trying to rebuild Israel's deterrent image and take advantage of domestic support by amplifying the narrative of victory, which risks dragging the region into a broader conflict," al-Omari said.
"The U.S. backing emboldens Israel to push forward with its agenda, especially as the Biden administration seeks to shore up its foreign policy credentials ahead of the 2024 presidential election," he added.
Youssef Diab, a political analyst from the Lebanese University, regarded the death of Nasrallah as "a turning point" in the Israel-Hezbollah conflict, as it will result in a void at Hezbollah's leadership level.
The assassination will also have a significant influence on the conflict between Israel and Iran, a primary backer of Hezbollah, he told Xinhua.
"All eyes are directed to Iran and what it will say after this big event," he said.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei last Saturday called on all Muslims to mobilize their resources and facilities and stand by the Lebanese people and Hezbollah in the fight against Israel, according to a message published on his website.
He added Israel could not inflict any important harm on Hezbollah's strong structure.
Hezbollah's deputy leader, Sheikh Naim Qassem, said on Monday that the group would continue to defend Lebanon and support Gaza despite losing Nasrallah and many commanders.
"Hezbollah's Islamic Resistance will go ahead with confronting the Israeli enemy in support of Gaza and Palestine and in defense of Lebanon and its people," Qassem said during his first televised speech following Nasrallah's death.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has expressed deep concern over the escalating situation in Beirut, urging relevant parties to "immediately return to a cessation of hostilities."
"This cycle of violence must stop now, and all sides must step back from the brink," Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the secretary-general, said in a statement last Saturday.
"The people of Lebanon, the people of Israel, as well as the wider region, cannot afford an all-out war," the statement said.■