Iran and Hezbollah Avoid Blaming Israel for Terrorist Commander’s Death (David Daoud, Amir Toumaj, The National Interest)

Mustafa Badreddine, the head of Hezbollah’s military operations in Syria, was recently killed in an explosion near Damascus International Airport. Although the assassination bears some signatures of an Israeli operation, the Shiite militia has blamed Sunni jihadists. Bogged down in Syria, Hezbollah and its Iranian patron have every reason to downplay Israeli responsibility, thereby lifting pressure to retaliate in kind and risk a war with the Jewish state

http://nationalinterest.org/feature/iran-hezbollah-avoid-blaming-israel-terrorist-commanders-16346

Iran's Power Play in Lebanon (David Daoud, The National Interest)

Lebanon defied its fellow Arab League members this week by rejecting a Saudi-sponsored vote labeling Hezbollah a terrorist organization. The move comes on the heels of Riyadh reversing its decades-long support for the Lebanese government by suspending a four-billion-dollar security-aid package, in frustration over Hezbollah’s growing control over virtually all aspects of the country’s government. The Gulf states soon followed suit. The Arab League vote and the aid cutoffs, however, won’t be enough for Lebanon to shake off Hezbollah’s domination. As the Shiite party continues to escalate tensions, its Lebanese political foes have shown themselves to be too feckless to confront the organization and reclaim their country.

http://nationalinterest.org/feature/irans-power-play-lebanon-15538