London-based Arabic publication reports that Syria, Lebanon delaying publication of report on assassination of Hizbullah commander due to tension generated by Israel’s wide-scale Home Front Command drill

Roee Nahmias, Ynet News

The London based Arabic publication, al-Quds al-Arabi, reported Tuesday that Syria is delaying the publication of its report on the assassination of Hizbullah leader Imad Mughniyeh, which was scheduled for Sunday, due to tension and fears generated in both Syria and Lebanon by the wide-scale Home Front Command drill taking place in Israel.

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Publication of this report, senior Damascus officials have indicated, could do serious damage to Syria as it would expose the involvement of Arab intelligence officials, as well as that of Syrian, Palestinian and Lebanese personnel in the Mughniyeh assassination.

Lebanese sources close to Hizbullah noted that Syrian security personnel have managed to track down the owners of two vehicles involved in the assassination and have managed to identify them.

Syria thus fears that publication of the report at this juncture will lead to retaliation against Arab officials which collaborated with Israel to assassinate Mughniyeh, thus giving Israel cause to wage an all-out war against Syria, Hizbullah and perhaps even Iran. Damascus, Syrian officials noted, does not want to give Israel any grounds to wage war against Lebanon or enter into a region-wide conflict, for which - as the current home front drill indicates - Israel is actively preparing

Syrian official: We’re closely monitoring Israeli drill

Fayssal Mekdad, Syria's deputy foreign minister commented on the Israeli drill, and stated Tuesday that “if Syria is the target for this drill, Israel ought to know that Damascus is carefully monitoring its actions, and is also preparing to contend with Israel’s military maneuvers and machinations.”

Syria, noted Mekdad in an interview with Syrian newspaper al-Thawra, is prepared for all contingencies: Be they a return to the negotiating table or armed conflict. “These Israeli maneuvers are a governmental ploy to regain the public’s trust and to demonstrate that the government is implementing the recommendations of the Winograd Commission vis-a-vie the IDF.”

“Arab countries, which are ostensibly the target of this drill,” noted Mekdad, “are also preparing for warfare, and are familiarizing themselves with Israel’s military mechanizations and strategies. If Israel thinks that this drill will persuade Arab nations that they can be defeated in future warfare, it is sadly mistaken.”

Lebanese newspaper, as-Safir, has reported that Israel’s Home Front Command drill, entitled “Turning Point 2”, has caused massive disruption in the Lebanese cellular phone system. Lebanon will protest this blatant Israeli hindrance, security officials stated.