US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the world has become safer after the removal of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, whom he called a “brutal terrorist.”
According to him, Nasrallah’s absence will make the region and the entire world less vulnerable to threats. But Blinken stressed that diplomacy remains the only path to long-term stability in the Middle East and vowed to continue efforts to secure a ceasefire between Israel and the Hamas terrorist group in Gaza.
Meanwhile, Iran, commenting on Nasrallah’s death, blamed the United States, not Israel. Nikolai Bobkin, senior researcher at the Institute for the United States and Canada, believes that such a claim is related to internal political differences in Iran. Despite the traditional rejection of Israel as a state, there are conflicts between various factions within the Iranian leadership.
The recent incident at the UN General Assembly, when former Foreign Minister Javad Zarif sidelined Iranian President Pezeshkian, highlights these internal contradictions. Furthermore, Iran has not yet commented on the death of one of the Hamas leaders.
Bobkin also noted that Israel is preparing for a ground operation in Lebanon, seeking to weaken Hezbollah after significant losses in its leadership. While it is unclear how far Israeli troops can advance, the expert suggests they could go up to 25-30 kilometers to clear the border area, allowing the return of local populations displaced by Hezbollah attacks. However, a more serious invasion, for example up to the Litani River, has not yet been officially confirmed.
It is important to note that this operation should not be perceived as a war with Lebanon, since the country has practically no army. The main confrontation is expected to be between the IDF and Hezbollah. Israel’s strategic goal is to undermine the military power of the group, which is also supported by the United States.
As for a possible Iranian intervention, Bobkin considers it unlikely. Iranian leaders are divided on this issue and Tehran is likely to take a pragmatic approach despite its continued hostility toward Israel. Iran continues to develop trade ties with China despite international sanctions.
