News Analysis: Hezbollah under pressure to respond to Israeli strikes on Syria: officials

It is very hard to predict whether Hezbollah would take measures to retaliate on the Israeli attack that targeted the Shiite militant organization's members in Syria, according to a Lebanese security official.

An Israeli helicopter on Sunday fired two rockets from the Israel-occupied Golan Heights toward a southern Syrian town, killing six Lebanese Hezbollah fighters and an Iranian general.

The source told Xinhua that the media leaks didn't expect the retaliation of Hezbollah on the attack, stressing that "nothing is for sure yet."

However, the official pointed out that "all the indications and repercussions that followed the attack presume that Hezbollah and Iran would not remain quiet on the attack."

"Hezbollah's silence and Iranian officials' declarations show that the retaliation would come sooner or later," the source added.

A senior Iranian military official warned on Tuesday of "overwhelming attacks" against Israel to respond to the killing of a general in the airstrike.

Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah also said Thursday that the Israeli attacks against Syria were against "the entire axis of resistance" which comprises Iran, Syria and Hezbollah, and they have the right to retaliate.

"The military and security apparatus of the Islamic Resistance (the military wing of Hezbollah) and that of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard are preparing for a military operation that would match the loss they suffered in the Israeli attack," the source added.

Meanwhile, concerning parties believe that "all the scenarios are possible for the retaliation of Hezbollah, including firing rockets from advanced positions in the occupied Shebaa Farms and the Syrian Golan Heights, planting roadside bombs to target the Israeli patrols on the borders with Lebanon."

A state of high alert is reigning over the border region both in Israel and Lebanon after the attack, though a cautious calm is observed on the Lebanese side.

"The state of high alert in both the Israeli military and security organizations would continue in the near future," a retired Lebanese army General told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

"The repercussion of the Israeli attack is wide and urges Hezbollah to retaliate so it would not lose its standing among its supporters and not to look weak following his engagement in Syria," the General said.

As for the timing of retaliation, the General said "it is hard to predict as the party would wait for the best time and would carefully choose its targets that spread from the borders with Israel to the Golan Height or the Israeli interests anywhere in the world."

He pointed out that Hezbollah is obliged to keep the "balance of terror with Israel which means that the Israeli army would face from now on difficulties on the fronts with Lebanon and Syria."

"If Israel responds to the retaliation, that would mean a serious deterioration in the whole region and it would be hard then to foresee the results," he added. Endit