Iran puts revenge aside and focuses on rebuilding Hezbollah

Lebanon has declared three days of mourning for the assassination of Hassan Nasrallah in Israel's massive bombing on Friday against Hezbollah's headquarters, south of Beirut. The city wakes up this Sunday in shock over the loss of a key figure in the Lebanese and regional landscape for the past 32 years. Thousands of people from the southern neighborhoods remain scattered on the streets, squares, and mosques of the capital, afraid to return to their homes due to the threat of new bombings.

With Hezbollah decapitated, all eyes are on Iran, the creator and financier of the Shia militia, but the Islamic Republic does not seem interested in making a move. The president of its Parliament, Mohammad Ghalibaf, has declared that "they have moved from a military war, in which he thinks Israel has lost, to a war of wills." The former mayor of Tehran, however, wanted to make it clear that the groups will continue to confront Israel with Persian support. In that "axis of resistance" are the Shia militias of Syria and Iraq and the Houthis of Yemen.

More than hot-blooded revenge, it seems that the Iranians will take some time to appoint a new leader, form a command structure, and rebuild Hezbollah's communication network, according to official sources from the Islamic Republic revealed to 'The New York Times'. The American newspaper assures that there is a strong division within the regime's leadership about the steps to take. The more conservative sectors demand a firm response to prevent Israel from being tempted to strike at the nuclear program, while the reformist current, led by President Masoud Pezeshkian, believes that going to direct war would fall into Benjamin Netanyahu's trap.

Israel continues with bombings and this morning at least 11 people have died in the east of the country; more than 600 have died this week. The Israeli press claims that the army has already launched its first ground incursions into Lebanon to carry out operations in areas close to the border, as reported by Israeli media such as Times of Israel.