Hezbollah Threats to Israel ‘Emboldened’ by Improved American-Iranian Ties, Expert Says

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A leading Middle East analyst in Washington, DC told The Algemeiner that Nasrallah’s brazenness was partly triggered by the improvement in relations between the US and Iran, Hezbollah’s main sponsor.

“Clearly, the new regional environment created by an American detente with Tehran has not tamed Hezbollah’s worst instincts, but is emboldening them,” said Dr. Emanuele Ottolenghi, a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, and an expert on Iran and Hezbollah.

Asked if Nasrallah’s threat should be taken seriously in military terms, Ottolenghi observed that Hezbollah has “long range missiles, and has been getting better and better over the years in terms of military capability.” Ottolenghi pointed out that the failure of the United Nations to disarm Hezbollah in accordance with successive Security Council resolutions is another worrying factor.

“But the real problem is political – we are in a situation where the US is acquiescing to Hezbollah’s defense of the Assad regime in Syria,” Ottolenghi continued. “Rather than countering Iran and its proxies, the US is giving them free rein, which is why they are so bold in their statements.”
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