Hizbullah Buries Mughniyeh as Party Officials Stay Mum on Possible Response

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Hizbullah's Jihad Mughniyeh, the son of its slain former military commander, was laid to rest on Monday a day after an Israeli strike in Syria that killed six of the party's fighters.

The raid, near Quneitra on the Syrian-controlled side of the Golan Heights, enraged the group's supporters, but analysts said Hizbullah would seek to avoid a major escalation with Israel.

Once solely focused on fighting Tel Aviv, Hizbullah is now deeply involved in the war in neighboring Syria, where it backs President Bashar Assad against the rebels seeking to topple him.

With its forces spread thin, and little appetite in fragile Lebanon for a new conflict with Israel, analysts said Hizbullah would have to find a way to respond without provoking a full-on war.

Hizbullah officials said Jihad Mughniyeh, son of the late Imad Mughniyeh, would be buried at Rawdat al-Shahidayn on Monday afternoon in Beirut's southern suburbs, a stronghold of the group.

He is to be interred in the same grave as his father, who was killed in a 2008 car bombing in Syria that Hizbullah blamed on Israel.

Massive crowds gathered at the funeral.

"God willing, the resistance will retaliate but the leadership of the resistance will be the one to decide the nature and timing," said Hassana Sadaqa, as she prepared to pay her respects.

Mourners chanted "Our party is Hizbullah, our leader is Nasrallah" as the coffin was carried through the streets.

Speaking to reporters at the funeral, Mahmoud Qmati, a member of Hizbullah's political bureau, said all-out war was unlikely, but that "the war of (limited) strikes, assassinations and intermittent confrontation continues."

But another Hizbullah official, MP Bilal Farhat, refused to say what might happen next. "Let's wait and see," he said.

The six fighters killed on Sunday afternoon were carrying out a field reconnaissance mission in Mazraat al-Amal village, Hizbullah said.

An Israeli security source confirmed that an Israeli helicopter had carried out a strike against "terrorists" in the Golan who were allegedly carrying out an attack.

In addition to Mughniyeh, the strike killed Mohammed Issa, a senior commander responsible for Hizbullah's operations in Syria and Iraq, a source within the party told Agence France Presse.

There was no immediate comment from Hizbullah officials, but al-Manar branded the strike "a costly adventure that threatens the security of the Middle East.”

The raid came days after Hizbullah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah threatened to retaliate against Israel for its repeated strikes on targets in Syria.

Hizbullah says its intervention in the Syrian conflict helps the struggle against Israel because the Damascus regime forms part of a "resistance axis" alongside its main regional ally Tehran.

"The repeated bombings that struck several targets in Syria are a major violation, and we consider that any strike against Syria is a strike against the whole of the resistance axis," Nasrallah said in an interview on Thursday.

He boasted that Hizbullah was "stronger that we ever were as a resistance movement" and touted its sophisticated arsenal, including Fateh-110 missiles.

The missiles have a range of 200 kilometers or more and are capable of hitting much of Israel.

Analysts said the precision Israeli strike, just days after Nasrallah's bellicose remarks, stood to embarrass Hizbullah.

"What happened is that the Israelis called Hizbullah's bluff last night," said Hilal Khashan, a professor of political science at the American University in Beirut.

"Hizbullah will not be able to retaliate, because if it retaliates, it will be another war. Hizbullah is in Syria and it is not ready for another war against Israel."

Khashan said the movement could resort to small-scale attacks, like a roadside bomb on the ceasefire line with Israel it claimed last year, but would avoid a more serious response.

"Nasrallah will say the Israelis are trying to provoke us to help in their elections and we will not fall into their trap. That's the best they can do," he added.

Sources close to Hizbullah told As Safir daily that the party's retaliation to Sunday's strike is "inevitable.”

But the officials said the retaliation would not lead to an all-out war.

“The party will take the time it sees necessary to set its next steps with calm and decisiveness,” they added.

In Israel, analysts made the same calculation.

"Hizbullah doesn’t want a full-fledged war," said Yoram Schweitzer, a former Israeli military counterterrorism chief.

"It has a number of possibilities to respond in different arenas. We assume that it currently does not want full contact," he told AFP.

In an interview with Army Radio, Maj. Gen. Amos Yadlin, the former head of Israel's Military Intelligence, said Hizbullah “will have difficulty absorbing an incident like this” without responding.

“Hizbullah and Nasrallah will have to consult with their Iranian masters and take into consideration whether a fierce response will drag the region into war,” Yadlin said.

Comments 47
Default-user-icon mark (Guest) 19 January 2015, 12:28

As per nahar: "This raid enraged the group's supporters". Can I not be with the Hezb and be enraged by an Apache Helicopter Assassinating a young boy? Please refrain from emitting assumptions without surveys.

Default-user-icon National Survey Agency (Guest) 19 January 2015, 14:35

We are emitting facts based on surveys. You are a fake and your real name is haidar tleis. You are a shia like all of you who take on christians names on the forum to show you have support. The Apache helicopter killed a terroist who invaded another country. The surveys say all non shias support this action.

Thumb _mowaten_ 19 January 2015, 14:43

"National Survey Agency (Guest)" yea that sounds legit.. about as credible as the content of your comment.

Thumb Mystic 20 January 2015, 09:35

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1089342487757966&set=vb.345180182174204&type=2&theater

Je suis Jihad Mougniyah

Thumb Mystic 20 January 2015, 09:49

الله ير حمكم شهداء كربلاء

Thumb marcus 19 January 2015, 14:54

any loss of life is regrettable but this is no ordinary 21 year old. He was the commander of HA forces in the golan heights. As a Lebanese, I have no sympathy for anyone fighting a war that is not ours.

Default-user-icon _mowaten_ (Guest) 19 January 2015, 15:45

hi "national xxx agency" i see you have a new alias, yet speak like an old timer of this forum. could it be that you're a troll posting under different names every time? could it?

Thumb _mowaten_ 20 January 2015, 10:28

oh eagleyawn, not only stealing lines but also names now. how low can you get?

Default-user-icon wtvr (Guest) 19 January 2015, 15:03

This young boy should've been home playing video games.

Default-user-icon Je Suis Jihad (Guest) 19 January 2015, 17:48

I am jihad the son of the great terrorist Imad. Like my father before me, I am a trained killer. I was in Syria along with my Iranian cousins torturing, killing, and maiming Syrian civilians because they are Sunnis. I was raised on hatred that dates back over a thousand years. My life was shortened by an Israeli strike and I am now in hell.

Thumb liberty 19 January 2015, 17:51

lol @anony
His name is mark as much as mowaten is secular.

Thumb _mowaten_ 19 January 2015, 19:18

you meant as much as "liberty" and "texasusa" are lebanese right?

Default-user-icon roukuz (Guest) 19 January 2015, 19:24

May you also rest in pieces and tranquility dear flamethrower

Default-user-icon flamethrowerbemoss (Guest) 19 January 2015, 20:14

well said flamethrower

Thumb _mowaten_ 20 January 2015, 10:33

i'm an atheist, deal with it dude. still ranting about this trying to impose on me some religion when nobody cares (or should care) about religion.
at the end of the day i'm a lebanese and you're not, you're an american selling your propaganda here for no logical reason than you being paid for it.

Thumb _mowaten_ 19 January 2015, 12:32

yet another israeli aggression... let's just hope they wont cry to loud when payback time comes

Thumb _mowaten_ 19 January 2015, 12:42

too* loud

Missing mohammad_ca 19 January 2015, 12:45

Here's an idea, since hizbollaat is already in Syria how about they just respond FROM Syria since that is where they were hit...Leave Lebanon out of this.

Default-user-icon Johnny (Guest) 19 January 2015, 12:50

Good riddance of a young thug that could have become some big Hezbos big wig in the future...

May they continue to drop like flies so we can finally live in peace once all these cronies that are holding Lebanon and the Lebanese people at ransom where they go attack other countries and cause all sorts of problems for the Lebanese people just so they can run their own agenda and wars...These cowards never ever consult the Lebanese people but their masters in Iran.

Your days are numbered Hizbothugs :)

Default-user-icon mark (Guest) 19 January 2015, 13:16

Shame on the house of Nahar, Shame for this biased article.

Thumb geha 19 January 2015, 13:17

may he rot in hell.

Thumb westernlebanese 19 January 2015, 13:32

@mowaten, keep dreaming... the world can tell your iranian terrorist forces are struggling in syria... the world is against you. i will pray for hizbulshaitan to keep dying, 2015 has been a great loss for the iranian devil party.

Default-user-icon crushed (Guest) 19 January 2015, 13:43

Sadly more Lebanese young men are dying whilst fighting on foreign soils as a result of a foolish hubris of the men who lead them.
They should bring back the old slogan on the yellow flag and shorten it to "The Islamic revolution" just get rid of the word "Lebanon" it's misleading, inaccurate and cynical.

Thumb EagleDawn 19 January 2015, 14:43

sadly, the worst enemy is the one within. you can try to reason with them, but those iranian farsi slaves have no will of their own. they turn down any chance of unity because they can only see short-term, untill the next iranian paycheck. they'd sell the country's past and future for a few rials, actually they already have.

Default-user-icon do the finger shake (Guest) 19 January 2015, 15:09

Hassan just days ago was all smiles and bombastical about what he's gonna do in the the Golan and Galilee now this happens. Not very prudent from Hassan.

Default-user-icon skeletor (Guest) 19 January 2015, 15:34

The procession is under way, the tools are sharpened, and the oil is boiling hot. Welcome to My Kingdom

Thumb skeletor 19 January 2015, 15:40

The procession is on, the tools sharpened, the oil boiling hot. Welcome to my Kingdom young one

Missing mohammad_ca 19 January 2015, 16:49

These guys were attacked in Syria...let the response come from Syria, leave Lebanon out of this.

Default-user-icon illegitimate.southern (Guest) 19 January 2015, 16:51

excellent and poetic southern

Default-user-icon jerry (Guest) 19 January 2015, 16:56

what's with those nutty mughniyeh boys and getting whacked in syria

Thumb galaxy 19 January 2015, 16:57

lol

Thumb galaxy 19 January 2015, 16:58

I can tell by the down votes that HA has a lot of support among its one poster with 30 screen names. Regardless, this thug got what he deserved. Rot in hell

Thumb galaxy 19 January 2015, 17:11

it is because their sayyid likes him and thought to honor him with a state like funeral worthy of the real terrorist he is.

Thumb liberty 19 January 2015, 17:56

southern you need to become a martyr too.

Thumb liberty 19 January 2015, 17:57

I am so happy for their loss. By itself, this moghniyeh was a nobody but it is more of a psychological setback for these terrorists and their leader who only a few days ago was bragging his mouth off.

Missing peace 19 January 2015, 18:25

snif snif!

Missing peace 19 January 2015, 18:27

martyr? so funny

Thumb geha 19 January 2015, 18:38

and they say they are not as extremist as the others :) they are one and the same.

Missing wonderer 19 January 2015, 18:40

"When the leadership of the resistance asks you to enter into the Galilee, this means the resistance must be ready to enter into the Galilee" - Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah 15/01/2015

Humm I did not know those boxes covered in yellow rags were called the Galilee.

Thumb shab 19 January 2015, 21:53

looooooool

Thumb thepatriot 20 January 2015, 09:49

lol... the leader ship of the Resistance being the Iranian of course...

Missing wonderer 19 January 2015, 18:41

"Hezbollah Secretary General said that the party does not deploy military units on Golan Heights" - Al Manar 15/01/2015

Those darn Israli Zionists they attacked a kegger!

Thumb ex-fpm 19 January 2015, 19:26

notice jihad moughniyeh's poster in the last photo says" on the road to Jerusalem"... LOL. It seems yet another terrorist died for the sake of Jerusalem. Poor Jerusalem and poor Palestine...

Thumb ex-fpm 19 January 2015, 20:22

4 minutes ago MP Michel Aoun on Twitter: We did not need the Quneitra massacre to discover Israel's terrorist behavior, as this is its historic course, and we extend our condolences to the "Sayyed of resistance" and the martyrs' families.

Missing people-power 19 January 2015, 21:54

Argentine prosecutor suicided by Iran....

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/01/19/did-iran-murder-argentina-s-crusading-prosecutor-alberto-nisman.html

Thumb shab 19 January 2015, 22:11

dead filthy murdering militia

Thumb nickjames 19 January 2015, 22:16

Yeah one time I had to go from the airport to Nissan in Chiyah, and I had to cut through Dahye. It looked like Tehran. I then had to go through a Hezbo checkpoint lol.