“I do not believe in a conflagration” of the region, assures Frédéric Encel, specialist in the Middle East

“If Hezbollah had wanted to intervene massively” since October 7, “it would have already done so,” said the geopolitologist, Wednesday January 3 on franceinfo.

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A view of Hamas premises near Beirut, Lebanon, damaged by an Israeli strike, January 3, 2024. (ANWAR AMRO / AFP)

“I don’t believe in a conflagration” of the region, estimates Wednesday January 3 on franceinfo Frédéric Encel, geopolitologist and specialist in the Middle East. On Tuesday, the number 2 of the Hamas political branch, Saleh al-Arouri, was killed by strikes blamed on Israel in the suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon.

Hezbollah, a terrorist and political group based in Lebanon, “is run by people who are completely fanatical, but certainly not by morons”justifies Frédéric Encel, “These are people who know very well the balance of power at the moment”. And to add, “if Hezbollah had wanted to intervene massively” since October 7, “he would have already done it”estimates the specialist. “I don’t see Hezbollah coming to the rescue” of Hamas, “moribund” in the Gaza Strip.

However, Frédéric Encel does not consider that this will “weaken Hamas, because a number two is replaced by a number three, by his deputy, by other men”. On the other hand, it is“a success” and D‘”an important victory” for Israel “from the point of view of deterrent credibility” which was “hard started” on October 7.


source site-24