The strongest of Iran’s proxies – the Hezbollah militia in Lebanon – has been almost dismissive in its response to the overnight events in Isfahan.
In the first public statement, the deputy secretary general of Hezbollah Sheikh Naim Qassem seemed to express disdain at what they appear to be judging as Israel’s low-level response.
“They are afraid,” he said, adding: “And do not have a clear plan.”
If that is the agreed line, then it would seem to be drawing a line under the most recent worrying flare-up.
We’ve spent the past week talking to Hezbollah; to those closest to Hezbollah; to those in Lebanese authority and to military personnel – and they all stated clearly and unequivocally how the militant group did not want war with Israel.
“The ball is in Israel’s court,” said one senior political figure.
Evening round-up
Here are the main developments in the Middle East today, as tensions between Israel and Iran remain at an elevated level:
- Overnight, Israel carried out an operation in Iran in retaliation for a drone and missile attack launched against it on Saturday, a source told NBC News;
- Iranian state media reported air defence batteries had been fired in several provinces, including near a major military base in Isfahan;
- It also said three drones had been destroyed over the area shortly after midnight;
- Isfahan “would make sense” as a target, military analyst Michael Clarke said, because it is home to one of the least sensitive Iranian nuclear sites;
- The International Atomic Energy Agency said there had been no damage to Iran’s nuclear sites following the reported Israeli attack;
- Iran has no plan for immediate retaliation, an unnamed senior Iranian official told Reuters;
- Rishi Sunak said Israel “absolutely has the right to self-defence” but “significant escalation is not in anyone’s interest”;
- US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has refused to comment on reports of an Israeli strike in Iran.
