Israel mulling 'unprecedented' collusion with Syria's HTS against Hezbollah: Report

A recent report has revealed that Syria's ruling Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) militant group may join forces with Israel against the Lebanese Hezbollah resistance movement, now that the Tel Aviv regime has failed to materialize its dream of occupying southern Lebanon.

According to the report by the Israeli newspaper Maariv on Saturday, Israeli officials no longer believe they can conquer southern Lebanon and defeat Hezbollah using their current strategy of relying on the Lebanese Army to confront the resistance group.

Now, they purportedly plan to use HTS forces as a proxy to fight Hezbollah from the north and east on their behalf.

"Within this picture, a more sensitive and dramatic assessment is emerging," Maariv wrote.

The newspaper added that, "there are only two parties left in the region that are both capable and willing to fight Hezbollah - Israel and the new Syrian regime" led by former al-Qaeda militant Abu Mohammad al-Jolani.

"According to Israeli sources, this is a matter of intersecting interests, even if not an alliance in the classic sense. From Israel's perspective, this is a regime that hates Hezbollah, sees it as an enemy, and may actually become a partner of interests in the Lebanese arena," Maariv asserted.

As a result, a "scenario could unfold in which understandings between Israel and HTS will take shape," which involves the Israeli military taking control of southern Lebanon, while the HTS militant forces will operate in northern Lebanon against Hezbollah.

The sources told the Israeli paper that this option is being examined as a consequence of the "failure of all other routes."

According to the sources, direct and indirect contacts are taking place between Israeli and Syria's HTS officials regarding the issue, possibly with US mediation.

If another alternative to defeating Hezbollah is not proposed by Western countries such as France and Germany, "the assumption in Israel is that the US will not block such a move, and may even give it a quiet blessing in the end."

Israel resumed its bloody onslaught on Lebanon on March 2, after Hezbollah initiated retaliatory operations following 15 months of Israeli ceasefire violations.

This took place at the same time as the large-scale and unprovoked US-Israeli war was launched against Iran on February 28.

Since then, Israeli forces have unleashed a barbaric bombing campaign, hitting targets across Lebanon, including the capital, Beirut, killing hundreds of civilians, rescue workers, and resistance fighters.

Israel also launched a ground offensive to take the territory of South Lebanon up to the strategic Litani River.

However, Hezbollah fighters have put up stiff resistance on the ground, preventing Israeli troops from penetrating deep into Lebanon and disarming the movement.

Lebanese authorities say at least 1,345 people have been killed since March 2, and another 4,040 wounded in the Israeli assaults.

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