Indeed, the latest notes that the mossad paid off IRGC security and got them to plant bombs in the guest residence - long identified as the common lodging place for Hanieh when he visited Tehran. Whether this fact is going to serve to reduce the potential strike to something more ‘symbolic’ versus lethal is yet to be seen. But Amir’s assessment holds water - Iran is in a delicate game of global PR and facing a western rush to get forces into the region as a deterrent.
Hezebollh, OTOH, may feel less constrained. But if Iran is getting cold feet it may impact support they could provide to the in an all out war with Israel. Israel for its part is continuing to cut up Hezbollah commander - increasing the chaos of chain of command reestablishment vital to control either a defensive or offensive operation against Israel.
]Just have to wait and see.
There have been many very precise hits on different *targets* in the last couple weeks. Looks like the islamists are getting spooked. Good going Israel.
From Amir Tsarfati’s Telegram feed.
“The British Telegraph writes that Ayatollah Khamenei ordered not to launch a “retaliation attack” until all the “traitors” involved in the liquidation of Haniyeh are identified. To put it simply, the supreme ruler wants to make sure that nothing gets into his bedroom in the event of an attack on Israel. The Ayatollah wants to sleep peacefully, but in Israel “sleeping peacefully” is understood differently than in Tehran.
Judging by publications in the media, so far the Iranian intelligence services adhere to the version that the Mossad managed to “interest” someone from the Ansar Al-Mahdi unit, part of the IRGC, and they carried explosives to the rooms in Haniyeh’s Tehran residence.
“Ayatollah Khamenei has summoned the heads of the IRGC several times over the past two days,” a source told The Telegraph. “For him, revenge on his traitors is much more important at the moment than revenge on Israel.”
According to the NYT , it’s much worse. The Ayatollah is not sure he can trust his guards in the event of an attack on Israel. After all, a missile aimed at Tel Aviv could fly to his residence...”