New Developments Intensify Crisis

FLASH! July 31—As we post this, there are two, likely related developments that will intensify the crisis, that could lead extensions of the Buther of Gaza, Prime Minister Bemjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu's bloody wars.

The Israel Defense Forces announced July 30 that they had carried out a precision strike on buildings in a Beruit suburb and that they had killed " the most senior Hezbollah military commander" Faud Shukr, whom they claimed was responsible for the missile attack July 27 that had killed 12 children as they played soccer in a Druze village in northern Israel. Hezbollah has denied responsibility for the attack, which other sources have indicated might have been one of their missiles that went off course or was perhaps fired by Israeli settler lunatics trying to provoke an all out war in the West Bank.

IDF said Shukr had “directed Hezbollah’s attacks” against Israel since Oct. 8, and had killed “numerous Israelis and foreign nationals over the years.

The IDF carried out a targeted strike in Beirut, on the commander responsible for the murder of children in Majdal Shams and the killing of numerous additional Israeli civilians."

So far, there have been no major attacks by Hezbollah on Israel in response to the attack, although sources say they expect them.

Meanwhile, last night the Iranian government announced that Hamas most senior political leader Ishmail Haniyeh, who has supported negotiations for a ceasefire/hostage deal, now ongoing in Rome, was assassinated in Rome where he was attending celebrations for the inauguration of Iran's new President. No one has claimed responsibility for the deadly attack, although there is strong speculation that Israel was behind it.

"This is clearly has Bibi's bloody paw marks all over it," said a source. "This is the main force in Hamas who want to end the bloodbath, which Netanyahu wants to continue. He was also the force seeking reconciliation with the Palestinian Authority and Fatah and has said that Hamas would be willing to give up its weapons as part of a peace and reconciliation process. That makes him Bibi's enemy.

"Meanwhile, Haniyeh's death strengthens the hand of Bibi's co-evil twin and asset, Y. Sinwar, now the most senior surviving figure in Hamas" the source pointed out. He, like Netanyahu does not support a Palestinian state, and has said he was prepared to fight Israel, even if it meant that a million Palestinians would die. Bibi could not have stated his own war aims better." It is unclear what the immediate effect will be on the current round of talks, which are apparently going nowhere fast, thanks to new demands made by Netanyahu.

There will be further updates on both these developments.