Iran readying for ‘second round,’ as Hezbollah braces for war, ex-IDF intel officer warns
Ex-Military Intelligence officer warns of looming confrontation as Syria pushes for 1974 deal with Israel.
IDF Col. (res.) Dr. Jacques Neriah, a former senior officer in Military Intelligence, warned on Sunday of an impending “second round” against Iran, saying Hezbollah operatives had been instructed to distance themselves from their phones in recent days.
“There is a sense that a war is coming, that Iranian revenge is in the works. The Iranians will not be able to live with this humiliation for long,” he told Udi Segal and Anat Davidov on 103FM.
“If the reports are true and there will be a meeting between the two leaders, this is huge news. We dreamed of this, we wanted this, and now it is coming true before our eyes.”
Recent talks between Israel and Syria on a political agreement
Neriah also addressed the recent talks between Israel and Syria regarding the renewal of a political agreement.
“In different circumstances, this would have been the headline across all Syrian media. Who hasn’t dreamed of a peace agreement with Syria? Because of the circumstances that have developed on the ground, we will probably reach a security agreement. The Syrians want to return to the 1974 disengagement agreement. As proof that they are serious, they are intercepting Hezbollah weapons shipments and preventing the terrorist organization from rebuilding its strength.”
Ahmed Al-Sharaa standing atop Mount Qasioun, overlooking the fall of Damascus, December 9, 2024. (credit: Wikimedia Commons/Presidency of the Syrian Arab Republic)
“This stems from a convergence of interests. The Syrians want the Israeli front to remain quiet. There is a strategic move here, where Syria, under the rule of [Ahmed] al-Sharaa, has managed to break the chokehold that Iran tried to place around Israel. The fall of Bashar al-Assad led to the collapse of Hezbollah as a regional force. Iran views the al-Sharaa regime as something that needs to be toppled,” he added.
