EXPERT SAYS ATTACK ON NETANYAHU’S HOME MAY PROMPT TARGETING OF IRAN’S SUPREME LEADER

Sun 20 October 2024:

Jean-Marc Rickli, head of global risk at the Geneva Center for Security Policy, says the fact the Israeli leader is pointing the finger at Iran for the attack on his residence in Caesarea could turn into a major escalation.

“If we look at the equivalent of Benjamin Netanyahu being attacked by a drone being considered as an assassination attempt … if we make a parallel with Iran the legitimate target could be the supreme leader,” Rickli told Al Jazeera.

“Israel is trying to establish deterrence against Iran’s proxies and surrogates in the region, not only Hezbollah but the Houthis and other groups. The Israelis are signalling they’re ready to apply what they have done with Hamas and what they started to do with Hezbollah – which is decapitating first the heads of these movements – and then trying to neutralise these movements.”

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Netanyahu blames Iran for drone ‘assassination attempt’

Al Jazeera’s Mohammed Jamjoom reporting from Amman, Jordan

Hours after that drone attack that targeted the residence of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the northern Israeli city of Caesarea, Netanyahu issued a statement in which he said ‘the attempt by Iran’s proxy, Hezbollah, to assassinate me and my wife today was a grave mistake’.

He also went on to say, ‘I say to Iran and its proxies and its axis of evil, anyone who tries to harm Israel’s citizens will pay a heavy price.’

Shortly after that statement was issued, unnamed diplomatic sources close to Netanyahu – which were quoted in Israeli media outlets – also blamed Iran for what they called the assassination attempt against Netanyahu, saying there would be retaliation for the attack.

All of this comes at a time of heightened tension when the region is on tenterhooks waiting for the promised Israeli response to the Iranian missile attack on Israel on October 1.

Israel has vowed to strike back and strike back hard.

Lots of questions at a time when the region is already facing so much tension.

Leak of classified documents on Israel’s preparations to attack Iran

Officials in the US say they are investigating the leak of classified documents that assess Israel’s plans to attack Iran, the AP reported.

The leaked documents, attributed to the US Geospatial Intelligence Agency and the National Security Agency, were posted on Telegram on Friday.

Axios news site, which first reported the leak, said the release of the highly sensitive material comes as Israel completes weeks of preparation for a promised attack on Iran following the Iranian missile barrage fired at Israel on October 1.

According to Axios, the documents detail measures taken in recent days at several Israeli airbases, including the transfer of advanced munitions in preparation for a forthcoming Iran attack. The documents also contain reports on detailed preparations by Israel’s drone units for the attack.

The Middle East Spectator Telegram channel, which released the documents, said they were provided by a source in the US intelligence community.

Israel’s army says it hit Hezbollah intelligence headquarters

The military says it killed three “key” officials of the Lebanese group in a strike on the Hezbollah intelligence headquarters in southern Beirut.

The army also said an underground weapons workshop in the capital was hit. The army listed the alleged senior Hezbollah members killed as Elhag Abbas Salameh, Racha Abbas Icha, and Ahmed Ali Hasin.

Israel has mounted a major air campaign against Lebanon since September 23, killing hundreds of civilians and displacing more than 1.3 million people.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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