♪ >>> HELLO, EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO "AMANPOUR AND COMPANY."

HERE'S WHAT'S COMING UP.

>>> THE MIDDLE EAST ON EDGE.

REGIONAL TENSIONS RISING AFTER HAMAS' POLITICAL LEADER IS KILLED ON IRANIAN SOIL.

ISRAEL SAYS IT DOESN'T WANT WAR, BUT IS PREPARING FOR ALL POSSIBILITIES.

THIS HOUR, WE'LL GET REACTION FROM ISRAEL, LEBANON, AND BEYOND, INCLUDING THE FORMER HEAD OF THE IDF INTELLIGENCE DIR DIRECTORATE.

IS ESCALATION AVOIDABLE?

AND WHERE DOES THIS LEAVE NEGOTIATIONS ON A GAZA CEASE-FIRE AND THE FATE OF THE REMAINING ISRAELI HOSTAGES?

♪ >>> "AMANPOUR AND COMPANY" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY -- JIM ATTWOOD AND LESLIE WILLIAMS.

CANDACE KING WEIR.

THE SYLVIA A.

AND SIMON B. POYTA PROGRAMMING ENDOWMENT TO FIGHT ANTI-SEMITISM.

THE FAMILY FOUNDATION OF LEILA AND MICKEY STRAUS.

MARK J. BLECHNER.

THE FILOMEN M. D'AGOSTINO FOUNDATION.

SETON J. MELVIN.

THE PETER G. PETERSON AND JOAN GANZ COONEY FUND.

CHARLES ROSENBLUM.

KOO AND PATRICIA YUEN, COMMITTED TO BRIDGING CULTURAL DIFFERENCES IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG.

JEFFREY KATZ AND BETH ROGERS.

AND BY CONTRIBUTIONS TO YOUR PBS STATION FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

THANK YOU.

>>> WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM, EVERYONE, I'M BIANNA GOLODRYGA IN NEW YORK, IN FOR CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR.

WE BEGIN WITH THE TINDERBOX IN THE MIDDLE EAST, AND THE THREAT OF ALL-OUT WAR BETWEEN ISRAEL AND IRAN.

HERE'S WHAT WE KNOW AT THIS HOUR.

HAMAS' POLITICAL LEADER ISMAIL HANIYEH WAS KILLED IN AN EARLY MORNING STRIKE WEDNESDAY IN THE IRANIAN CAPITAL OF TEHRAN.

IRAN AND HAMAS CLAIM WHANIYEH, WHO WAS A KEY PLAYER IN THE GAZA CEASE-FIRE AND HOSTAGE NEGOTIATIONS, WAS ASSASSINATED AN ISRAELI AIR STRIKE.

ISRAEL HAS NEITHER CONFIRMED NOR DENIED INVOLVEMENT.

BUT WE DO KNOW THAT SENIOR ISRAELI OFFICIALOFFICIALS.

HANIYEH'S DEATH CAME JUST HOURS AFTER ISRAEL SAID IT KILLED HEZBOLLAH'S MOST SENIOR MILITARY OFFICIAL IN THE LEBANESE CAPITAL OF BEIRUT, WHICH WAS BREAKING NEWS ON OUR SHOW YESTERDAY.

ISRAEL BLAMES HEZBOLLAH FOR AN ATTACK IN THE ISRAELI OCCUPIED GOLAN HEIGHTS, WHICH KILLED 12 CHILDREN LAST SATURDAY.

RIGHT NOW, AN OMINOUS SIGNAL FROM IRAN'S HOLY CITY OF QOM, WHERE A RED FLAG SYMBOLIZING REVENGE HAS BEEN HOISTED OVER JAMKARAN MOSQUE.

SENIOR IRANIAN DIPLOMATS SAY IRAN WILL RETALIATE, AND IRAN'S SUPREME LEADER SAYING THIS -- YOU KILLED OUR DEAR GUEST IN OUR HOUSE AND HAVE PAVED THE WAY FOR YOUR HARSH PUNISHMENT.

GOT A LOT TO UNPACK THIS CRITICAL HOUR.

LET'S GET THE VERY LATE FRES OUR CORRESPONDENTS, IVAN WATSON IS IN BEIRUT, BUT LET'S START WITH NICK PAYTONTON WALSH, AND THE RHETORIC COMING OUT OF IRAN.

NICK, NO SURPRISE, THIS RHETORIC COMING OUT OF IRAN, IN WHAT IS CLEARLY SEEN AS AN EMBARRASSMENT FOR THEM.

ISRAEL HAS BEEN BEHIND PREVIOUS ASSASSINATIONS INSIDE IRAN OF IRANIANS, BUT TO HAVE SOMEBODY FROM A VISITING COUNTRY COME IN AS THE SUPREME LEADER SAID, A GUEST OF THAT COUNTRY, TO BE KILLED WITH SUCH PRECISION, IS QUITE AN EMBARRASSMENT, IN TERMS OF ISRAEL'S INTELLIGENCE DEEP INSIDE THAT COUNTRY.

>> YEAH, AND IT'S NOT CLEAR AT THIS STAGE WHETHER THE FACT THAT THIS IS NOT ONE OF IRAN'S OWN, BUT A VISITING PALESTINIAN, WILL WEAKEN OR EXACERBATE ANY IRANIAN RESPONSE HERE.

WE ARE HEARING THE SCANT DETAILS, WE HAVE, FRANKLY, ABOUT HOW THIS EXTRAORDINARY VIOLATION OCCURRED FROM A HAMAS SPOKESPERSON, SAYING THAT HANIYEH WAS HIT IN HIS ROOM BY A ROCKET.

PRESUMABLY AT THAT TIME OF NIGHT, WHILE HE SLEPT.

SO, EXTRAORDINARY ACCURACY, GIVEN THE ONLY OTHER CASUALTIES WE KNOW OF A BODYGUARD THERE.

UNCLEAR IF ANYBODY ELSE WAS EVEN HURT IN THIS BUILDING WHERE THIS WAS, AND THE LOCATION UNCLEAR, AS WELL.

A SPECIAL RESIDENCE IS A TERM BEING USED IN IRANIAN STATE MEDIA.

SO, ALL OF THAT PART OF A NARRATIVE THAT IRAN HAS YET TO CLARIFY, BUT FIERY RHETORIC ALREADY.

THE SUPREME LEADER TALKING ABOUT HARSH PUNISHMENT BEING IMMINENT.

A HEAVY PRICE IS WHAT AN INCOMING FOREIGN MINISTER HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT, AS WELL.

BUT QUITE HOW THIS MANIFESTS ITSELF IS UNCLEAR.

THE UNITED NATIONS MISSION IN NEW YORK FOR IRAN TALKED ABOUT SPECIAL OPERATIONS BEING ONE OPTION.

THEY DON'T SET POLICY, BUT THAT'S A REFLECTION OF THE OPEN DEBATE WE'RE SEEING IRAN CARRY OUT, TO WORK OUT WHAT IT CAN REALLY GET AWAY WITH, WHAT IT CAN EXECUTE AND WHAT RE-ESTABLISHING ITS SENSE OF AUTHORITY AND DETERRENCE IN THIS REGION.

SUGGESTIONS, TOO, FROM THE ISRAELIS A THEY ARE CONTINUING TO PUSH FORWARDS WITH THEIR GOALS ON THEIR NORTHERN BORDER WITH LEBANON, TALKING ABOUT HOW THEY WANT TO PUSH HEZBOLLAH BACK FROM THERE.

SO, A SENSE, PERHAPS, THE ISRAELIS ON A FRONT FOOT HERE, TRYING TO DICTATE TERMS WITH HEZBOLLAH, THE THREAT TO THE NORTH, AND CLEARLY HITTING HANIYEH, JUST AFTER THAT STRIKE IN SOUTHERN BEIRUT, AGAINST HEZBOLLAH COMMANDER WHOSE BODY APPEARS TO HAVE NOT JUST BEEN FOUND IN SOME OF THE RUBBLE THERE.

THAT MANY CONSIDER TO BE THE SORT OF TIT FOR TAT FOR THE DEATH OF DRUZE TEENAGERS IN THE GOLAN HEIGHTS OVER THE WEEKEND THIS DEATH OF HANIYEH, KEEPING IN POLICY WITH ISRAEL'S POLICY SINCE OCTOBER 7th TO HUNT DOWN HAMAS LEADERS, BUT LEAVING NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN HAMAS AND ISRAEL IN TATTERS.

WHANIYEH WAS ONE OF THE NEGOTIATORS.

AND A MASSIVE SENSE OF UNCERTAINTY AS TO WHAT IRAN IS CAPABLE OF, WHAT IT IS WILLING TO DO, AND WHAT IT FRANKLY NEEDS TO DO TO REASSURE ALLIES THAT IT IS STILL A POTENT POWER IN THE REGION.

>> AND AS WE NOTED, IVAN WATSON, LET'S TURN TO YOU NOW, AS YESTERDAY, WE SPENT MOST OF THIS PROGRAM COVERING WHAT ISRAEL DID ACKNOWLEDGE AND TAKE CREDIT FOR, THE ASSASSINATION OF A SENIOR HEZBOLLAH OFFICIAL, THE IDF LATE LAST NIGHT CONFIRMING FROM THEIR INTELLIGENCE THAT HE WAS, INDEED, KILLED IN THAT STRIKE.

AND WE'RE JUST NOW GETTING WORD THAT HIS BODY WAS RECOVERED IN THE RUBBLE.

GIVE US A SENSE OF THE REACTION THUS FAR FROM BEIRUT AND ANY STATEMENTS OUT OF HEZBOLLAH ITSELF.

>> RIGHT, I MEAN, HEZBOLLAH HAS NOT CONFIRMED ANY OF THIS INFORMATION, BUT CNN HAS LEARNED FROM A LEBANESE SECURITY SOURCE THAT THE BODY OF THE TARGET OF ISRAEL'S STRIKE AT AROUND SUNSET YESTERDAY EVENING WAS, IN FACT, RECOVERED FROM THE RUBBLE OF THIS BUILDING.

FIVE STORIES OF THE BUILDING KIND OF SHEARED OFF BY THE ISRAELI AIR STRIKE.

HE WAS A SENIOR OFFICIAL IN HEZBOLLAH.

HE'S BEEN WANTED BY THE U.S. GOVERNMENT FOR YEARS, WHICH HAS HAD A $5 MILLION REWARD FOR INFORMATION ABOUT HIM, BECAUSE THEY LABELED HIM A SPECIALLY DESIGNATED GLOBAL TERRORIST, AND THEY'VE ACCUSED HIM OF PLAYING A CENTRAL ROLE WAY BACK IN THE 1983 BOMBING OF THE MARINE BARRACKS HERE IN BEIRUT THAT KILLED MORE THAN 200 PEOPLE.

SO, THIS IS SOMEBODY WHO WAS WANTED BY NOT ONLY THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT, BUT ALSO THE U.S. GOVERNMENT.

AND WHILE IT DOES APPEAR THAT ISRAEL SUCK SEEDED IN KILLING THIS IMPORTANT HEZBOLLAH OFFICIAL, THEY ALSO KILLED A NUMBER OF CIVILIANS HERE IN BEIRUT IN THIS STRIKE.

THERE WERE FUNERALS TODAY FOR TWO SIBLINGS, CHILDREN, 10 AND 6 YEARS OLD, WHO WERE KILLED IN THAT AIR STRIKE, HASAN, AGE 10, AND AMIRA AGE 6.

THEIR OLDER BROTHER ALI IS IN A HOSPITAL RIGHT NOW.

TWO OTHER WOMEN ALSO KILLED IN THAT ATTACK.

HEZBOLLAH HAS ISSUED A STATEMENT EXPRESSING CONDOLENCES FOR THE ASSASSINATION OF THE HAMAS LEADER, ISMAIL HANIYEH.

CLEARLY AN ALLY OF HEZBOLLAH, WHICH HAS BEEN CARRYING OUT, PROSECUTING A BORDER CONFLICT WITH ISRAEL OVER THEIR MUTUAL BORDER, BASICALLY SINCE THE OCTOBER 7th ATTACKS IN SOLIDARITY WITH PALESTINIANS IN GAZA.

SO, THE TENSION HERE BETWEEN LEBANON AND ISRAEL HAS BEEN HUGE FOR THE BETTER PART OF NINE MONTHS, AND NOW, A COUNTRY VERY MUCH ON EDGE, WORRIED THAT IT COULD BE BROUGHT INTO A MUCH LARGER CONFLICT NOW THAT THESE TWO ASSASSINATIONS HAVE TAKEN PLACE TOGETHER.

SO CLOSE TOGETHER IN BOTH BEIRUT AND IN TEHRAN.

>> IVAN WATSON IN BEIRUT, NICK PATON WALSH IN LONDON, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

>>> WELL, ISRAEL'S FOREIGN MINISTER NOW SAYS THE ONLY WAY TO PREVENT, IN HIS WORDS, ALL-OUT WAR, IS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION, WHICH WAS ORIGINALLY DEVISED TO END THE 2006 ISRAEL-HEZBOLLAH CONFLICT.

LET'S BRING IN RONEN BERGMAN, SENIOR CORRESPONDENT FOR THE MILITARY AND INTELLIGENCE AFFAIRS FOR ISRAEL'S LARGEST NEWSPAPER AND A CONTRIBUTING WRITER FOR "THE NEW YORK TIMES."

HIS MOST RECENT BOOK IS CALLED "RISE AND KILL ROB RONEN, WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM.

TARGETED ASSASSINATIONS APPEARS TO BE EXACTLY WHAT WE'VE SEEN WITH PRECISION, ISRAEL TAKING CREDIT FOR THE STRIKE AGAINST A SENIOR HEZBOLLAH OFFICIAL THERE IN BEIRUT.

YET TO TAKE CREDIT FOR WHAT IS ASSUMED TO BE AN ISRAELI STRIKE AGAINST THE HAMAS OFFICIAL THERE IN TEHRAN.

AND I'M CURIOUS FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE WHAT YOU MAKE OF THE TIMING AND THE FACT THAT ISRAEL IS DOING THIS NOW FOLLOWING WHAT WE SAW WAS A HUGE ESCALATION FROM HEZBOLLAH ON SATURDAY, WHERE THE ISRAELI DEFENSE MINISTER HIMSELF SAID HEZBOLLAH HAD CROSSED A RED LINE, FOLLOWING THE DEATH OF THOSE 12 CHILDREN, THE DRUZE CHILDREN THERE IN THE NORTHERN PART OF THE COUNTRY.

>> SO, THANKS FOR THAT.

I THINK WE NEED TO MAYBE MAKE SOME KIND OF DIFFERENTIATION BETWEEN THESE TWO ATTACKS.

ONE ATTACK THAT ISRAEL CLAIMED RESPONSIBILITY FOR AND SAID, THIS WAS FOLLOWING THE KILLING OF 12 TEENAGERS AND CHILDREN IN THE GOLAN HEIGHTS A FEW DAYS EARLIER.

THIS WAS PART OF AN ONGOING EXCHANGE OF BLOWS AND ATTACKS BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HEZBOLLAH, STARTING ON THE EIGHTH OF OGT, OCTOBER.

HEZBOLLAH STARTED TO ATTACK ISRAEL IN THE NORTH, AND SINCE, THEY HAVE BEEN EXCHANGING HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE FIGHT AND BATTLES AND HITS AND ATTACKS AGAINST EACH OTHER.

HOWEVER, THEY KEEP THAT UNDER SOME KIND OF A LEVEL, SOME KIND OF A BAR, WHERE THEY TRY TO ASSESS, WHERE IS THE BAR FOR THE OTHER SIDE THAT WOULD DETER THE OTHER SIDE?

FROM CONTINUING TO ACCELERATE.

BUT WILL NOT DETERIORATE THE WHOLE REGION INTO WAR.

WE HAVE SEEN TEN MONTHS OF THESE TWO MILITARY FORCES, THE IDF AND HEZBOLLAH, DOING HORRIBLE THINGS TO EACH OTHER AND TO CIVILIANS.

AND I THINK -- CIVILIANS IN OPEN AREAS, AND I THINK WHAT WE LEARNED FROM THAT IS THAT THESE TWO SIDES ARE TRYING TO DO -- TO HARM THE OTHER SIDE, WHILE NOT DETERIORATING INTO A WAR.

HEZBOLLAH HAS IDENTIFIED WHAT HAPPENED ON THIS ATTACK YESTERDAY AS SOMETHING THAT THEY WOULD RETALIATE, AND, OF COURSE, IT SORT OF LEFT AN OPEN QUESTION OF, WHO WOULD BE THE RETALIATION?

AND IF THAT WOULD BRING ISRAELI RETALIATION FOR THE RETALIATION, THAT COULD ESCALATE, WHEN BOTH SIDES LOSE CONTROL.

>> AND NOW, LET'S TAKE A LISTEN TO WHAT ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU SAID EARLIER TODAY.

>> Translator: I SAW THE SORROW OF THE FAMILIES.

I SAID TO OUR DRUZE BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WE ARE BROTHERS, WE ARE COVENANT.

AND THIS IS A TIGHT COVENANT, FROM GRIEF TO GRIEF.

THE INNOCENT PEOPLE, IN ADDITION TO THE SUFFERING OF THE NORTH CITIZENS THAT ARE NOT ABLE TO LIVE IN THEIR HOUSES.

WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE SILENT.

WE WILL MAKE EVERYONE PAY THE PRICE.

EVERYONE THAT MURDER US, ANYONE THAT TAKE OUR CHILDREN.

CITIZENS OF ISRAEL, THESE ARE CHALLENGING DAYS.

FROM BEIRUT, THERE ARE THREATS.

WE ARE READY FOR ANY SCENARIO.

WE ARE PREPARED.

WE ARE GOING TO TAKE HIGH PRICE, GOT TO EXERT HIGH PRICE FROM EACH ARENA.

>> THERE YOU HEARD SOME OF A VICTORY LAP, A TYPICAL VICTORY LAP FROM THE PRIME MINISTER, SORT OF TAKING CREDIT FOR YESTERDAY AND WHAT WE SAW IN THAT ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT OF A SENIOR HEZBOLLAH OFFICIAL, AND ALSO AVOIDING ANY MENTION OF THE KILLING THERE OF ISMAIL HANIYEH IN IRAN, BUT GOING ON TO ONCE AGAIN HIGHLIGHT WHAT HE CONTINUES TO SAY IS ISRAEL'S ONGOING VICTORY, AND THE PATH TOWARDS VICTORY IN GAZA.

I'M WONDERING WHAT YOU MAKE OF WHAT WE HEARD FROM HIM YESTERDAY, AT TIMES JUST GIVING THE PUBLIC AN UPDATE, AS TO WHERE THINGS STAND, ALSO APPEARS TO BE PART OF A POLITICAL SPEECH, WRAPPED INTO ONE.

>> YEAH, I THINK WHAT WE HEARD IS THE BENJAMIN NETANYAHU HAWKISH STANCE TO CONTINUE THE WAR.

UNTIL WHAT HE CALLS THE UTMOST, OR THE PERFECT, OR THE FULL VICTORY WITHOUT DEFINING WHAT THAT VICTORY MEANS OR ADDRESSING THE QUESTIONS OF, WHAT IS THE DAY AFTER?

WHAT IS THE ISRAELI POLICY TOWARDS GAZA?

IS ISRAEL GOING TO STAY IN GAZA?

IS IT MILITARY CONTROL?

IS ISRAEL TRYING TO BUILD A FORCE THAT WILL CONTROL GAZA THE DAY AFTER?

IN ANY CASE, I THINK THIS SPEECH REINFORCED SOME ECHOES THAT WE HEARD FROM PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU UPON HIS RETURN FROM THE U.S., WHERE IT SEEMS THAT HE HAS TAKEN FEW STEPS BACK ON HIS WILLINGNESS TO SIGN THE CEASE-FIRE HOSTAGE EXCHANGE DEAL.

WHEN HE DEVOTES, SPENDS SO MANY WORDS ON HIS DEVOTION AND COMMITMENT TO CONTINUE THE WAR, HE KNOWS THAT THAT COMMITMENT IS A STRIKING CONTRADICTION TO THE ABILITY TO RELEASE ALL THE HOSTAGES, OR THE ABILITY TO EVEN SIGN THE FIRST SO-CALLED HUMANITARIAN DEAL, BECAUSE HAMAS IS NOT WILLING, AND IS NOT GIVING UP ON ITS BASIC DEMAND THAT ANY DEAL WILL HAVE A COMMITMENT TO HAVE A FULL, PERMANENT CEASE-FIRE AND ISRAEL WILL WITHDRAW FROM GAZA.

WHEN HE'S SPEAKING ABOUT THE BORDER BETWEEN GAZA AND EGYPT, AND SAYS ISRAEL WILL STAY THERE, THIS IS ALSO -- THOSE TERMS ARE ALSO DEALBREAKER FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF HAMAS.

SO, IF I -- LOOKING AT THIS FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF THE CHANCES TO SEE A COMING DEAL, SOMETHING THAT HE DEVOTED ONLY ONE SENTENCE TO, I THINK THOSE ARE NOT GOOD NEWS.

IT'S NEWS ABOUT WAR, NOT ABOUT CEASE-FIRE.

>> AND ON THAT NOTE, I'VE BEEN EXCHANGING MESSAGES WITH FAMILIES OF HOSTAGES WHO I'VE SPENT A LOT OF TIME WITH OVER THE LAST TEN MONTHS, AND THERE IS A LOT OF CONCERN ABOUT WHAT THIS MEANS FOR THE STATE OF ANY NEGOTIATIONS, AND ALSO RAISING QUESTIONS ONCE AGAIN IN TERMS OF WHETHER OR NOT THEY CAN TRUST THEIR GOVERNMENT TO PRIORITIZE THE SAFETY OF THEIR LOVED ONES, AS OPPOSED TO CONTINUED HAWKISH POSITIONS LIKE THE ONES THAT YOU'VE JUST OUTLINED.

YOU MENTIONED THE PRIME MI MINISTER'S RETURN AND HIS INCREASINGLY HAWKISH STANCE SINCE HE'S COME BACK FROM THE UNITED STATES.

SOME THINGS CLEARLY WERE OUT OF HIS CONTROL, AND THAT BEING SPECIFICALLY HEZBOLLAH'S ATTACK IN NORTHERN ISRAEL THERE, WHERE WE SAW 12 DRUZE CHILDREN KILLED.

ISRAEL HAS TAKEN CREDIT FOR THAT RETALIATORY STRIKE YESTERDAY.

I'M JUST CURIOUS, SPECIFICALLY WITH REGARDS TO ISMAIL HANIYEH AND HIS ASSASSINATION IN IRAN, IT'S NOTABLE THAT THIS HASN'T HAPPENED IN QATAR.

THEY CLEARLY HAVE KNOWN HIS WHEREABOUTS FOR A LONG, LONG TIME WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THE TIMING OF HIS ASSASSINATION, AGAIN, ISRAEL HASN'T TAKEN CREDIT FOR IT, BUT FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES, IT IS BELIEVED TO BE ISRAEL THAT IS BEHIND THIS ASSASSINATION WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THE TIMING AND THE FACT THAT IT TOOK PLACE IN IRAN, A GUEST OF IRAN'S, AS WE SHOULD NOTE, AS WELL?

>> SO, FIRST OF ALL, ISRAELI DECISION-MAKING LEADERS, AS WELL AS LEADERS OF THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY, THE DEFENSE ESTABLISHMENT, HAVE SWORN THAT ANYONE WHO TOOK PART IN THE ATTACK, THE SAVAGE ATTACK AGAINST ISRAEL AND ISRAELIS ON OCTOBER 7th.

AND ANYONE WHO COMMANDED AND INVOLVED IN THE PLANNING AND EXECUTION OF THAT WILL BE PROSECUTED OR KILLED.

ISMAIL HANIYEH, THE -- THE FORMER POLITICAL BUREAU CHIEF OF HAMAS, IS THE MOST SENIOR HAMAS FIGURE IN THE WORLD OUTSIDE OF GAZA, AND HE WAS, FOR VERY LONG, SINCE OCTOBER 7th, BASICALLY, ISRAELI OFFICIALS TELLS "THE NEW YORK TIMES," ALL THOSE PEOPLE SIGNED THEIR DEATH WARRANT, THEIR DEATH SENTENCE, ON OCTOBER 7th, AND NOW, IT'S ONLY A T TIME -- ONLY A MATTER OF TIME AND SITUATION AND MILITARY OPERATION CAPABILITIES, WHEN THEY ARE KILLED.

SO, ON THIS END, ISRAEL SORT OF FULFILLED ITS COMMITMENT AND IT IS CONTINUING ITS SORT OF POLICY OF BEING VAGUE, NOT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY, BUT IF YOU GO AND READ THE TWEETS COMING FROM ISRAELI ULTRA-RIGHT MINISTERS, YOU'LL SEE THAT THIS IS NOT SAYING, BUT -- WE CANNOT -- BASICALLY CLAIMING RESPONSIBILITY.

BUT IT'S IN IRAN, BUT AS YOU SAID, IT'S NOT IN QATAR.

I ASSUME IF ISRAEL WAS BEHIND THE ASSASSINATION, THEY DIDN'T WANT TO CREATE FRICTION WITH THE QATARIS, WHO COULD HAVE STOPPED NEGOTIATIONS THAT THEY ARE MEDIATING BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HAMAS.

THEY DIDN'T DO IT IN THE OTHER CITY THAT THE LATE HANIYEH WAS VISITING QUITE FREQUENTLY IN ISTANBUL, NOT TO HAVE A FIGHT WITH PRESIDENT ERDOGAN.

THEY DID IT IN TEHRAN.

THE IRANIANS BELIEVE IT WAS TO HUMILIATE THEM.

I THINK ISRAEL, FROM THEIR POINT OF VIEW, THERE'S ALREADY A WAR WITH TEHRAN, SO, THERE'S VERY LITTLE TO LOSE.

NOW, WHETHER THIS CALCULUS WAS RIGHT, WHAT WILL BE THE IRANIAN REACTION?

I JUST REMIND OURSELVES AND THE AUDIENCE AT HOME THAT ISRAEL PREDICTED THAT AFTER IT KILLS AN IRANIAN HIGH-RANKING OFFICIAL IN APRIL IN DAMASCUS, WHEN BOMBING THE OFFICE WHERE HE WAS BY THE IRANIAN EMBASSY, IT'S GOING TO BE A VERY LIMITED IN SCALE RESPONSE.

IRAN TOOK A VERY DIFFERENT DECISION AND BOMBED ISRAEL WITH MASSIVE, MASSIVE THRONGS OF MISSILES AND CRUISE MISSILES AND DRONES.

SO, I WOULDN'T -- I WOULDN'T BET ON NECESSARILY THE PREDICTIONS OF ISRAEL THAT THIS -- THAT THE IRANIAN REACTION WOULD BE IT WOULD BE BETWEEN FOUR SAECHBD D AND SEVEN DAYS.

I THINK THAT THOSE PREDICTIONS SHOULD BE TAKEN WITH SOME GRAIN OF SALT.

AND HAS THE POTENTIAL OF DETERIORATING THE REGION INTO AN ALL-OUT WAR.

>> WHAT IS THE IRANIAN REGIME, AND THE SUPREME LEADER'S PRIORITY NOW?

IS IT A RETALIATORY STRIKE TO THE KILLING OF HANIYEH, WHO WAS ONE OF THE HEADS OF HAMAS, AN ORGANIZATION THAT'S VIEWED, OBVIOUSLY, AS A PROXY OF IRAN, BUT NOT NEARLY AS CRUCIAL TO IRAN AS HEZBOLLAH?

OR THE ASSASSINATION YESTERDAY OF THE HEZBOLLAH OFFICIAL?

WHO IS IRAN PRIORITIZING IN TERMS OF REPRISAL, RETRIBUTION, RIGHT NOW?

>> RIGHT, SO, I THINK IF IT WAS ONLY THE ASSASSINATION OF THE HEZBOLLAH OFFICIAL, MILITARY OFFICIAL WHO WAS IN CHARGE OF STRATEGIC MILITARY BUILDUP ORGANIZATION, WHO WAS ONE OF THE -- THE KEY PERSONS TO TRANSFORM THIS GUR GUR LITTLE LA TERRORIST ORGANIZATION, THAT WOULD BE LEFT IN THE HANDS OF SECRETARY-GENERAL NASRALLAH, HOW AND WHEN TO RETALIATE.

OF COURSE, IRAN FEELS NOT AS CLOSE TO HAMAS AS THEY FEEL WITH THE SHIITES FROM LEBANON, FROM HEZBOLLAH, BUT AS MY COLLEAGUE AT "THE NEW YORK TIMES" IS REPORTING, THE IRANIANS ARE FEELING THAT THIS WAS DONE NOT JUST AGAINST HANIYEH, BUT ALSO TO HUMILIATE THEM.

THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS THAT THEY ARE SAYING IT WAS NOT DONE FROM GROUND OPERATION, IT WAS DONE BY A MISSILE, SOMETHING COMING FROM THE OUTSIDE, AND THIS IS WHY, I THINK, THEY BELIEVE THAT SUCH A MASSIVE BLOW TO THEIR DIGNITY, SOMETHING THAT CAUSED SUCH AN EMBARRASSMENT, SHOW THEIR SECURITY APPARATUS AT ITS WEAKEST POINT, SHOULD BE ADDRESSED WITH FORCE, AND THIS IS FAR FROM -- FAR FROM BEING OVER.

HOWEVER, I DO -- I STILL BELIEVE THAT ALL THE SIGNS, EXCEPT FOR HAMAS, WITH ALL THE SIGNS, STILL ARE KEEN NOT TO DETERIORATE FOR ALL-OUT WAR.

BUT I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE BEEN FIGHTING FOR SO LONG, AND THIS DID NOT DETERIORATE, IS THE FACT, MAYBE JUST WISHFUL THINKING, BUT I BELIEVE, I HOPE, THAT THEY WILL -- THEY WILL STAY ON THE SAME COURSE AND THIS WILL NOT BE OUT OF CONTROL AND DETERIORATE TO FURTHER ESCALATION.

>> RONEN BERGMAN, THOSE ARE VERY HOPEFUL, OPTIMISTIC WORDS COMING FROM A MAN -- >> I WANTED TO END OPTIMISTICALLY.

>> AND BY THE WAY, I APPRECIATE THAT, BECAUSE IT HAS BEEN, OBVIOUSLY, A VERY TENSE TEN MONTHS, IT'S BEEN A VERY TENSE PAST FEW DAYS.

AND IT DOES APPEAR THAT THE LINE TO RE-ESTABLISH DETERRENCE CONTINUES TO BE PUSHED DOWN FURTHER AND FURTHER AND FURTHER IN THIS AREA, AND OBVIOUSLY WHO KNOWS WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN THE DAYS AHEAD.

EVEN THE PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU HIMSELF SAYING ISRAEL FACES CHALLENGING DAYS TO COME.

RONEN BERGMAN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR EXPERTISE, YOUR ANALYSIS.

>>> SECRETARY OF STATE ANTONY BLINKEN SAYS THE U.S. WAS NEITHER AWARE NOR INVOLVED IN THE KILLING OF HAMAS'S LEADER ON IRANIAN SOIL.

EARLIER WEDNESDAY DURING A STOP IN SINGAPORE, PART OF HIS SIX-COUNTRY TOUR IN ASIA, BLINKEN MADE IT CLEAR THAT A CEASE-FIRE WAS STILL PRIORITY NUMBER ONE.

>> I'M NOT GOING TO SPECULATE ON ANY IMPACT OF ONE EVENT MAY HAVE ON THAT.

I'VE LEARNED OVER MANY YEARS NEVER TO REALLY SPECULATE ABOUT THAT, BECAUSE WE SIMPLY DON'T KNOW.

WHAT I DO KNOW IS THE ENDURING IMPERATIVE OF GETTING THE CEASE-FIRE, AND WHAT I DO KNOW IS, WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK AT THAT EVERY DAY.

>> LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE WIDER REGIONAL DYNAMICS AT PLACE.

COLIN CLARKE IS DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH AT THE SOUFAN GROUP, WHERE HE IS AN EXPERT ON TERRORISM, SECURITY, AND GIO BOLL TICKS.

HE JOINS US NOW FROM NEW YORK.

WELCOME BACK TO THE PROGRAM.

YOU WERE JUST WITH US 24 HOURS AGO, AND THINGS CONTINUE TO DEVELOP THERE IN THE REGION.

AND CONTINUE TO ESCALATE.

THE LATEST WITH THE ASSASSINATION OF ISMAIL HANIYEH, NOTABLY ISRAEL HAS NOT TAKEN CREDIT FOR THIS ASSASSINATION, BUT AS YOU JUST HEARD IN THE CONVERSATION WITH RONEN BERGMAN, THIS IS VIEWED AS SOMETHING THAT IRAN CAN'T AVOID BUT RETALIATING AGAINST, AND I'M CURIOUS YOUR VIEW ON WHAT A RETALIATION MAY LOOK LIKE RIGHT NOW.

>> YEAH, THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

AND AS YOU MENTIONED, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT 24 HOURS AGO, AND AS I SAID YESTERDAY, I THINK WE'RE ON THE PRECIPICE OF SOME MAJOR ESCALATION.

I DIDN'T THINK THAT THE ISRAELIS WOULD THEN GO AND ASSASSINATE ISMAIL HANIYEH, THE LEADER OF HAMAS, THE FACT THAT THEY DID IT IN TEHRAN ACTUALLY FORCES THE IRANIANS' HAND, RIGHT?

THIS PUTS THEM IN THE CORNER AND FORCES THEM TO CONDUCT SOME KIND OF A RESPONSE, PROBABLY THROUGH THEIR PROXIES, AND WE COULD SEE THIS COMING FROM SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE AXIS OF RESISTANCE AT ONCE.

IT COULD BE LEBANESE HEZBOLLAH, IT COULD BE THE HOUTHIS IN YEMEN, IT COULD BE THE IRAQI SHIA MILITIA GROUPS.

IT COULD BE SEVERAL OF THEM AT ONE TIME.

AND I THINK THIS IS REALLY GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY COLD WATER ON ANY PROSPECTS FOR A CEASE-FIRE, ANY PROSPECTS FOR A HOSTAGE DEAL.

AT LEAST IN THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE.

I THINK THAT'S TOTALLY SCUTTLED, AND WE'RE KIND OF BACK INTO THIS RHYTHM OF, YOU KNOW, THE WAR IN GAZA AND THESE OTHER BRUSH FIRES THAT ARE TAKING PLACE ON THE PERIPHERY.

>> I NOTICED THAT YOU HAD RETWEETED, I BELIEVE, AN ARTICLE IN THE ATLANTIC BY GRAHAM WOOD, WHO SUGGESTED THAT ISMAIL HANIYEH'S ASSASSINATION SENDS A DIFFERENT TYPE OF MESSAGE, AND THAT IT MAY ACTUALLY DE-ESCALATE THE REGION.

YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON THAT VIEW, AND THE FACT THAT NOW IT DOES APPEAR ALL BUT YAHYA SINWAR'S DECISION-MAKING AND PERHAPS THAT OF HIS BROTHER, MOHAMMED SINWAR, BOTH STILL BELIEVED TO BE IN GAZA, IN TERMS OF WHEN A CEASE-FIRE WILL BE AGREED UPON.

>> SO, I -- YOU KNOW, ENJOYED READING THE ARTICLE, I KNOW GRAHAM, AND I LIKE HIM.

I DISAGREE WITH HIS TAKE ON THIS.

THAT SAID, I STILL THINK BY RETWEETING IT, IT'S INTERESTING TO SHARE THESE THINGS, TO GET DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES.

IN FACT, I CONCLUDED, READING THE ARTICLE, AND THOUGHT, I'M REALLY AT A KIND OF 180-DEGREE POLAR OPPOSITE POSITION.

AND I THINK THE POINT OF THESE ATTACKS WAS TO SIDELINE THE NEGOTIATIONS.

I THINK THAT NETANYAHU LEFT THE UNITED STATES FULLY INTENT ON TAKING, YOU KNOW, ADVANTAGE, IF YOU WILL, OF THE -- OF THE ATTACK IN THE GOLAN HEIGHTS TO CARRY OUT -- LOOK, THESE ACTIONS WERE WELL-PLANNED IN ADVANCE.

THIS WASN'T SOMETHING THAT WAS JUST COOKED UP OVERNIGHT TO GO AFTER THE LEADER OF A GROUP LIKE HAMAS, TO KNOW EXACTLY WHERE THIS INDIVIDUAL IS GOING TO BE, AND TO KILL HIM WITH LIMITED COLLATERAL DAMAGE.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN PLANNED FAR IN ADVANCE.

THESE WERE PLANS LIKELY TAKEN OFF THE SHELF IN RESPONSE TO THE GOLAN HEIGHTS, OR THAT WAS USED AS THE KIND OF, YOU KNOW, THE STICKING POINT TO RESPOND TO, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT WE'RE ANYWHERE CLOSE TO A CEASE-FIRE, AND AGAIN, I THINK FROM NETANYAHU AND SOME OF HIS FAR-RIGHT ALLIES, AND THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT, THAT'S EXACTLY THE POINT, IS TO -- IS TO PUT THOSE PLANS ON THE SIDELINE.

THAT'S GOING TO REALLY -- I THINK -- IT'S NOT GOING TO LAND WELL WITH THE HOSTAGE FAMILIES IN ISRAEL, OBVIOUSLY.

>> RIGHT.

>> BUT IT WILL HELP -- >> IT ISN'T LANDING WELL THE HOSTAGE FAMILIES IN THE SENSE THAT NO ONE IS CRYING OVER THE DEATH OF ISMAIL HANIYEH AT THIS POINT, BUT IN TERMS OF THE TIMING OF IT, AS IT APPEARED THEY WERE MOVING CLOSER TO A CEASE-FIRE DEAL.

THIS IS RAISING A LOT OF CONCERNS.

ON THE FLIP SIDE OF THIS, AS YOU KNOW, SAY WHAT YOU WILL OR PEOPLE OBVIOUSLY HAVE THEIR VIEWS ABOUT WHAT THE PRIORITIES ARE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, THIS WASN'T A DECISION THAT HE WOULD BE ABLE TO MAKE UNILATERALLY, I WOULD IMAGINE.

THE TARGETING THERE OF HANIYEH.

SO, YOU KNOW VERY WELL THAT MANY MEMBERS OF HIS GOVERNMENT, ESPECIALLY THE MILITARY LEADERSHIP THERE, HAS BEEN IN FAVOR OF SOME SORT OF CEASE-FIRE RESOLUTION RIGHT NOW, A DEAL THAT WOULD BRING THESE HOSTAGES HOME.

SO, GIVEN THAT, I'M JUST WONDERING WHAT YOU MAKE OF THE TIMING, THAT THIS ISN'T SOMETHING THAT BENJAMIN NETANYAHU COULD HAVE ORDERED ON HIS OWN, IF HIS GOAL IS PERHAPS DEVIATING FROM THAT OF OTHERS IN HIS OWN ADMINISTRATION.

>> WELL, YOU'RE RIGHT, IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT HE WOULD ORDER ON HIS OWN, THOUGH HE IS THE ULTIMATE DECISION-MAKER IN THAT COUNTRY.

A LOT OF THE CONVERSATION TODAY HAS BEEN ABOUT, DOES KILLING HANIYEH CAUSE FISSURES IN HAMAS?

WHAT DO THE SERIES OF ATTACKS, HOW DO THOSE PLAY OUT WITHIN ISRAEL?

DO YOU SEE FISSURES BETWEEN NETANYAHU AND SOME LEADING MEMBERS OF THE IDF?

IS THERE MORE DAYLIGHT BETWEEN WHAT HIS PLAN IS, OR AS RONEN ALLUDED TO, HIS LACK OF A PLAN, OR LACK OF STRATEGY FOR THE DAY AFTER IN GAZA?

AND WHAT SOME OF THE ACTUAL WAR FIGHTERS WANT.

BECAUSE I THINK PROBABLY TO A PERSON, NOBODY WOULD WANT TO SEE A CONFLICT IN GAZA SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH, YOU KNOW, OPENING UP THE NORTHERN FRONT AGAINST HEZBOLLAH, AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE AXIS OF RESISTANCE JOINING IN.

IT REALLY SETS THE STAGE FOR A REGIONAL WAR, WHICH WE'RE IN ALREADY, IT JUST TURNS THE TEMPERATURE UP THAT MUCH MORE.

>> AND THE U.S. OBVIOUSLY PLAYING A CRITICAL ROLE HERE, AS ISRAEL'S MOST SIGNIFICANT ALLY AND PARTNER.

IT'S INTERESTING THAT YESTERDAY IT APPEARS -- WE NOW KNOW THAT THE U.S. WAS GIVEN SOME SORT OF HEADS UP BEFORE THE TARGETING THERE IN BEIRUT.

THAT DOES NOT APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN THE CASE WITH REGARDS TO ISMAIL HANIYEH IN IRAN, AND I'M CURIOUS, YOUR VIEW ON THAT AND THE MESSAGE THAT IT SENDS THAT THE UNITED STATES MAY HAVE BEEN BLINDSIDED BY THIS PARTICULAR ACTION?

>> WELL, I THINK IT PUTS SECRETARY OF STATE BLINKEN IN A VERY DIFFICULT POSITION.

I HAVE TO IMAGINE THAT IF THE ISRAELIS FLOATED THIS PAST THE UNITED STATES, THE U.S. WOULD HAVE HAD A VERY STRONG OPINION ON THIS, AND LIKELY WOULD HAVE SAID, THIS IS NOT GOING TO PLAY WELL WITH THE BROADER FRAMEWORK OF A POTENTIAL CEASE-FIRE AND HOSTAGE NEGOTIATIONS.

SO, THE U.S. LIKELY CAUGHT OFFGUARD, IT'S NOT THE FIRST TIME, AND IT WON'T BE THE LAST.

THIS IS KIND OF PART OF THE TENSIONS WITHIN THE U.S.-ISRAELI RELATIONSHIP.

AND NOW WE HAVE TO SEE, YOU KNOW, WHAT HAPPENS GOING FORWARD.

ESPECIALLY IN AN ELECTION YEAR.

THIS IS, YOU KNOW, A PRETTY PRECARIOUS SITUATION.

NOBODY FROM EITHER PARTY WANTS THE UNITED STATES TO GET DRAGGED FURTHER INTO THIS CONFLICT, BUT THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN, IF THE TIT FOR TAT CONTINUES TO ESCALATE.

AND WE'RE ALREADY GETTING WORD THAT HEZBOLLAH LEADER WILL BE MAKING AN ADDRESS ON THE OCCASION OF THE FUNERAL TO TOMORROW, WE OBVIOUSLY REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED IN APRIL FOLLOWING ISRAEL'S ASSASSINATION OF MULTIPLE IRGC MEMBERS IN SYRIA, THAT LEADING TO IRAN RESPONDING WITH SENDING OVER 300 PROJECTILES TOWARDS ISRAEL.

THE UNITED STATES SHOOTING A LOT OF THEM DOWN, NOTABLY WITH SOME REGIONAL PARTNERS, AS WELL.

DO YOU THINK THAT WE COULD FIND OURSELVES IN A SIMILAR LAIR POSITION, THE PRIME MINISTER OF ISRAEL SAYING THEY'RE PREPARED FOR ALL SCENARIOS, AND THIS WILL BE DIFFICULT DAYS TO COME.

WILL THE UNITED STATES STEP UP AS THEY HAD IN APRIL?

>> I THINK SO.

I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE'RE HEADED.

I THINK WE'RE GOING TO SEE ADDITIONAL U.S. MILITARY AS SETS DEPLOYED TO THE REGION.

MORE KIND OF MUSCULAR POSTURE IN PREPARATION FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

LOOK, IF I WAS HASAN NASRALLAH, I WOULDN'T BE GIVING -- I WOULD BE WORRIED ABOUT GIVING A SPEECH SOMEWHERE BECAUSE HE MAY BE NEXT.

AT THIS RATE.

THE ISRAELIS, YOU KNOW, THIS SEEMS LIKE A SERIES OF COORDINATED ACTIONS, AND THEY MAY NOT BE DONE.

SO, THERE'S A LOT THAT'S GOING TO LIKELY HAPPEN IN THE NEXT 24 TO 48 HOURS, AND MUCH OF IT OUT OF THE CONTROL OF THE UNITED STATES.

>> YEAH.

AND SOME OF THE MORE FAR-RIGHT MEMBERS OF THIS ISRAELI COALITION AND GOVERNMENT HAVE SAID THINGS ALONG THOSE SAME LINES FOLLOWING THE ATTACK IN NORTHERN ISRAEL OVER THE WEEKEND THAT HASSAN NASRALLAH, BASICALLY, WOULD BE A TARGET, AS WELL.

COLIN CLARKE, WE WILL CONTINUE TO BE MONITORING THINGS, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

WHO KNOWS, MAYBE YOU'LL BE JOINING US TOMORROW AGAIN WITH THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS.

APPRECIATE THE TIME.

>> THANKS.

>>> WELL, LET'S HONE IN ON THE SITUATION PLAYING OUT IN BEIRUT.

THERE HAVE BEEN FUNERALS TODAY FOR TWO CHILDREN AND A WOMAN.

LEBANESE MEDIA SAYING THEY DIED IN ISRAELI AIR STRIKE THAT KILLED A HEZBOLLAH COMMANDER IN THE CITY'S SUBURBS TUESDAY.

ANOTHER 70 PEOPLE REPORTEDLY INJURED IN THE BLAST.

THE LEBANESE CARETAKER FOREIGN MINISTER TELLS CNN THE ATTACK DEALT A HAMMER BLOW TO THE PROSPECTS OF PEACE.

>> THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS.

THIS SAYS GOOD-BYE TO THE BIDEN PLAN, OR BIDEN PROPOSAL, AND U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION OF A CEASE-FIRE IN GAZA, AND WHAT'S HAPPENING IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THE WAVE OF HORROR IS COMING, RATHER THAN PEACE COMING TO THE REGION.

>> NABIH BULOS JOINS US NOW.

IT'S TIMELY TO HAVE YOU ON, GIVEN JUST THAT ONE TARGETED ASSASSINATION IN BEIRUT YESTERDAY, OBVIOUSLY THINGS ARE MUCH MORE EXACERBATED, GIVEN THE NEWS OVERNIGHT OUT OF IRAN AND THE ASSASSINATION OF ISMAIL HANIYEH, BUT WITH REGARDS TO BEIRUT, WE NOW HAVE CONFIRMATION FROM HEZBOLLAH, AND THEY ARE CONFIRMING WHAT THE IDF DID YESTERDAY, THAT A DRONE STRIKE DID KILL THE OFFICIAL.

TALK ABOUT THE IMPLICATIONS THAT HAS NOW FOR THE REGION FOR LEBANON, IN PARTICULAR.

>> WELL, IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT WE'VE BEEN EXPECTING SOME KIND OF ATTACK IN LEBANON REALLY FOR MONTHS NOW.

AND, OF COURSE, WHAT HAPPENED, YOU KNOW, THIS PAST WEEKEND, OBVIOUSLY THAT UPPED THE ANTE.

BUT THERE WAS AN EXPECTATION OF SOME SORT OF RESPONSE WAS GOING TO BE FORTHCOMING.

NOW, AT THE SAME TIME, IT'S WORTH TELLING THAT THIS IS A VERY SIGNIFICANT OFFICIAL WITHIN HEZBOLLAH.

HE'S CONSIDERED TO BE -- ISRAELI ARMY, THE RIGHT-HAND MAN, BUT OTHERS WILL TELL YOU WITHIN HEZBOLLAH, HE WAS AN IMPORTANT MEMBER OF THE JIHAD COUNCIL, THE SUPREME DECISION-MAKING COUNCIL OF HEZBOLLAH.

HE IS QUITE IMPORTANT IN THE HIERARCHY OF THE ORGANIZATION.

REALLY CONSIDERED ONE OF ITS EARLIER FOUNDERS AND LET'S SAY ORGANIZERS.

NOW, AT THE SAME TIME, IN TERMS OF RETALIATION, IT'S WORTH NOTING THAT HEZBOLLAH HAS HAD HIGH LEVEL COMMANDERS BEING ASSASSINATED THROUGHOUT THESE LAST TEN MONTHS.

WE SAW ONE KILLED FROM SPECIAL FORCES.

WE'VE SEEN TWO DIVISION COMMANDERS ACTUALLY BEING KILLED IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS.

AND IN ALL OF THOSE CASES, THEY WERE INDEED RETALIATIONS, BUT THEY WERE CALIBRATED IN THE SENSE THAT THEY HAD STRUCK VARIOUS TARGETS WITHIN, LIKE, LET'S SAY, NORTHERN ISRAEL, ELEMENT SET TRA.

NOW, AROUND THE SAME TIME, THE DIFFERENCE HERE IS THAT YESTERDAY'S ATTACK, IT TARGETED HEZBOLLAH'S MAIN HEADQUARTERS IN THE LEBANESE CAPITAL BEIRUT.

AND IN THE PAST, NAZ RAL LA HAS ALWAYS SAID THAT THE INTENTION HERE IS TO CREATE EQUIVALENT.

WHATEVER PAIN ISRAEL INFLICTS ON HEZBOLLAH AND LEBANON, THE SAME WOULD OBVIOUSLY BE SENT BACK.

HE HAS SAID THAT IF IT WAS STRUCK, HE WOULD ORDER THE STRIKING OF TEL AVIV.

THE EXPECTATION IS TO SEE THAT, BECAUSE THIS WAS REALLY A TOP FLIGHT COMMANDER.

>> THE IDF CHIEF OF STAFF AND HIS FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS THAT THEY WILL ONLY STAND DOWN NOW IF HEZBOLLAH WITHDRAWS FROM THE ISRAELI BORDER.

BASICALLY, GOING BACK TO PRE-OCTOBER 7th STANCES AND CITING ACTUALLY THE U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION 1701, WHICH WAS AGREED TO UPON BY BOTH SIDES AFTER 2006 AND THE WAR BETWEEN THE TWO.

DO YOU THINK THAT THERE'S A LIKELIHOOD OF THAT HAPPENING AT THIS POINT?

>> WELL, I SHOULD CLARIFY THAT THE STATUS QUO WAS ACTUALLY DIFFERENT IN THE SENSE THAT YOU HAD, LET'S SAY, AN UNEASY AND QUITE FRAGILE PEACE THAT NEVERTHELESS HELD FOR ABOUT 16 YEARS.

SO, THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THAT THERE WAS HEZBOLLAH OPERATING IN SOUTH LEBANON AND JUST AS THERE WAS ALSO -- THERE WERE ALSO ISRAELI ARMY UNITS IN NORTHERN ISRAEL, AND THE POSTURE ON BOTH SIDES WAS QUITE TENSE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE DIDN'T REALLY SEE THE ACTIVE HOSTILITIES THAT WE'RE SEEING NOW.

THAT REALLY STARTED ON OCTOBER 8th.

AND SO, I MEAN, THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS, IF THE EXPECTATION IS WE WOULD GO BACK TO OCTOBER 7th, WHICH IS TO SAY THE STATUS QUO, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT BOTH SIDES WOULD BE HAPPY TO CONSIDER, ONCE THERE IS A CEASE-FIRE IN GOOAZA.

HEZBOLLAH HAS TIED THE FATE OF WHAT THEY'RE DOING, YOU KNOW, AT THE SOUTHERN BORDER, WITH WHAT HAPPENS IN GAZA.

NOW, AT THE SAME TIME, OF COURSE, WE ARE AT THE SAME TIME SEEING NOW AN ESCALATION IN THESE TIT FOR TAT EXCHANGES, AND NOW, THE DEMANDS OF ISRAEL HAVE INCREASED TO SAY PUSHING BACK HEZBOLLAH BEHIND THE RIVER.

THAT, YES, YOU'RE RIGHT, IT IS WITHIN THE 1701 SPIRIT, BUT IT WOULD BE VERY, VERY DIFFICULT TO IMPLEMENT, INDEED.

I REALLY DON'T SEE HOW IT CAN BE IMPLEMENTED.

>> YEAH, AND WE'VE SEEN NOW TENS OF THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS DISPLACED ON BOTH SIDES SINCE OCTOBER 7th.

>> INDEED.

>> IN LIGHT OF THAT.

I'M CURIOUS TO GET YOUR VIEWS ON WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING FOR TOMORROW AS WE HEAR FROM HASSAN NASRALLAH, WHO IS EXPECTED TO MAKE A STATEMENT FOLLOWING THE FUNERAL?

>> OF COURSE, THIS WILL BE A BIG CEREMONY.

WE HAVE SEEN PREVIOUS FUNERAL CEREMONIES BEING HELD THERE, AND THE RALLYING POWER OF HEZBOLLAH IS TRULY SECOND TO NONE.

THERE WILL BE A BIG CROWD.

AND WE ARE AT THE SAME TIME EXPECTING SOME KIND OF PROPER RESPONSE FROM HEZBOLLAH, BECAUSE AS I SAID BEFORE, THE KEY POINT HERE IS THAT BEIRUT WAS TARGETED.

AND THAT REALLY IS AN ESC ESCALATION, AND THAT REALLY IS A LINE THAT WAS -- THAT HASN'T BEEN PASSED IN QUITE SOME TIME.

>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR PERSPECTIVE, JOINING US FROM BEIRUT.

APPRECIATE IT.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR HAVING ME.

>>> WELL, AS WE SAID, ISRAEL HAS NEITHER CONFIRMED NOR DENIED BEING BEHIND THE HANIYEH ASSASSINATION.

LET'S GET MORE FROM CLARISSA WARD, INSIDE ISRAEL, JOINING US NOW LIVE FROM TEL AVIV.

WE HEARD FROM PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU EARLIER, NOTABLY NOT MENTIONING THE DEATH OF ISMAIL HANIYEH, BUT ALSO NOTING THAT THESE WILL BE DIFFICULT DAYS AHEAD FOR THE ISRAELIS, AS THEY ARE EXPECTING ANY SORT OF RESPONSE, EITHER FROM HEZBOLLAH OR IRAN OR PERHAPS OTHER PROXIES.

WHAT IS THE MOOD LIKE IN THE COUNTRY RIGHT NOW?

>> WELL, WE JUST ARRIVED THIS AFTERNOON, AND I HAVE TO SAY, BIANNA, THAT THE MOOD IS RELATIVELY CALM.

PEOPLE ARE GOING ABOUT THEIR DAILY LIVES.

THE GOVERNMENT HAS NOT TOLD THEM TO CHANGE ANY OF THEIR DAILY ROUTINES, BUT UNDERPINNING THAT, I WOULD SAY THERE IS CERTAINLY ANXIETY, AS PEOPLE COME TO TERMS WITH THE ALMOST CERTAIN REALITY THAT THERE WILL BE SOME KIND OF A RETALIATION FOR THESE TWO MAJOR ASSASSINATIONS.

I SPOKE WITH ONE RESERVIST BRID D BRIGADIER GENERAL, WHO TALKED ABOUT WHAT A RETALIATION FROM HEZBOLLAH MIGHT LOOK LIKE, HOW DIFFERENT THAT WOULD BE FROM THE SORT OF ROCKET FIRE THAT WE HAVE SEEN IN THE SOUTH, COMING FROM GAZA.

HE TALKED ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF WEAPONS, THE TYPE OF WEAPONS, THE PRECISE OF THOSE WEAPONS, THE DISTANCE THAT THOSE WEAPONS CAN GO TO.

HE TALKED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF ATTACKS IN TEL AVIV AND HIGH FA, ON BEN GURION AIRPORT.

SO, THERE IS DEFINITELY A SENSE OF AWARENESS THAT VERY SOON THERE COULD BE MAJOR DISRUPTIONS TO DAY ILY LIFE HERE.

AND EVERYBODY, I THINK, ALSO UNDERSTANDS THAT THE ENTIRE REGION, REALLY NOW, BIANNA, IS ON A KNIFE EDGE.

BECAUSE WHEN YOU GET TO THIS STAGE OF ESCALATION, ALL IT TAKES IS FOR ONE MISCALCULATION, ONE THING TO GO WRONG, BEFORE YOU REALLY SEE A MASSIVE ALL-OUT REGIONAL CONFLAGRATION.

AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING, YOU AND I ON THIS SHOW MANY TIMES OVER THE PAST NEARLY TEN MONTHS, BUT IN THIS MOMENT, IT REALLY FEELS CLOSER THAN EVER, PARTICULARLY WITH THIS ASSASSINATION OF HAMAS' POLITICAL LEADER, IS MALL HANIYEH, WHICH, AS YOU MENTIONED, THE ISRAELIS HAVE NOT PUBLICLY CLAIMED RESPONSIBILITY FOR.

AND WHICH REALLY IS AN OPEN QUESTION AS TO HOW IRAN WILL RESPOND.

THEY HAVE CERTAINLY BE VERY CLEAR THAT THEY WILL DO SO.

THE TIMING STILL SOMETHING OF A QUESTION AND THE REGION BRACING ITSELF FOR WHAT COMES NEXT, BIANNA.

>> CLARISSA WARD REPORTING TO US LIVE FROM TEL AVIV.

PLEASE KEEP US POSTED ON ANY DEVELOPMENTS YOU HEAR ON YOUR E END.

AS YOU NOTE, THE ISRAELI ARMY RAISED ALERT LEVELS TUESDAY NIGHT, IN POSSIBILITY FOR A MILITARY RETALIATION BY HEZBOLLAH, BUT THE HOME FRONT COMMAND ITSELF HAS REFRAINED FROM ADVISING ANY FURTHER CAUTIONARY STEPS FOR ITS CITIZENS.

>>> FOR MORE ON THIS NOW, THE IMPLICATIONS FOR ISRAEL, I'M JOINED BY A FORMER IDF INTELLIGENCE CHIEF, AND NOW HEAD OF ISRAEL'S INSTITUTE FOR NATIONAL SECURITY STUDIES.

HE IS JOINING ME LIVE FROM TEL AVIV.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US, TAMIR.

AND YOU OF ALL PEOPLE KNOW THE IMPLICATIONS INVOLVED IN THE PLANNING AND THE PROCESS OF GREEN-LIGHTING CERTAIN OPERATIONS, SPECIFICALLY THESE TARGETED ASSASSINATIONS ISRAEL HAS TAKEN CREDIT FOR, THE ASSASSINATION OF THE TOP HEZBOLLAH OFFICIAL YESTERDAY IN BEIRUT.

WE HAVEN'T HEARD ANY CREDIT TAKEN FOR THE MURDER OF, ASSASSINATION OF ISMAIL HANIYEH, BUT I'M CURIOUS, FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, THE IMPLICATIONS NOW OF WHAT YOU EXPECT TO SEE IN TERMS OF A RESPONSE FROM IRAN OR ANY OF ITS MULTIPLE PROXIES.

>> WELL, THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

WE ARE -- WE SHOULD EXPECT RETALIATION FROM THE THREE DIFFERENT FRONTS.

FIRST OF ALL, FROM HAMAS, THAT A TOP LEADER WAS ASSASSINATED.

THEY'RE STILL NOT REALLY SURE BY WHOM, BUT IT WAS VERY ACCURATE ONE, I IMAGINE DONE BY EXPLOSIVE DEVICE AND NOT MISSILES.

AND IT IS IMPORTANT, IN TERMS OF WHEN THEY ARE DESIGNING THE RETALIATION.

SECOND OF ALL, FROM IRAN, BECAUSE THEY HOSTED THE -- ISMAIL HANIYEH, AND THEY -- AND THERE IS SOME FORM OF HUMILIATION THAT THE FACT THAT IT WAS IN THEIR SOIL.

AND THIRD OF ALL, FROM HEZBOLLAH, BECAUSE THE SECOND IN COMMAND OF HEZBOLLAH, HE'S VERY IMPORTANT, HE'S THE TOP MILITARY LEADER IN HEZBOLLAH.

AS FOR THE RESPONSE FROM HAMAS, I IMAGINE NOTHING THAT WE HAVEN'T SEEN.

SO FAR, IT SEEMS THEY'VE EXHAUSTED THEIR CAPABILITIES TO MAKE MORE HARM THAN THEY DID.

AS FOR IRAN, THERE ARE TWO MAIN OPTIONS.

ONE IS TO RETALIATE FROM THE PROXIES, AND THE SECOND IS TO RETALIATE LIKE THEY DID, DIRECTLY FROM IRAN'S SOIM.

BOTH CASES ARE THINGS THAT WE HAVE SEEN AND ACHIEVED, DEFENDING ISRAEL.

PRETTY GOOD SO FAR.

WE HAD GREAT COOPERATION WITH THE UNITED STATES, BACKING DETERRING, AND ARRANGING THIS INTERNATIONAL COALITION.

SO, THIS IS NOT THE MOST TWO IMPORTANT ELEMENTS.

THE BIG QUESTION RIGHT NOW IS REGARDING HEZBOLLAH, BECAUSE HEZBOLLAH CAN DO EITHER SOME FORM OF A MINOR OR -- RETALIATION, SOMETHING THAT IS BORDER, SOMETHING CONTROLLED, THAT'S NOT REALLY ESCALATED TO A FULL-SCALE WAR, OR, AND IT IS A LOW PROBABILITY SCENARIO RIGHT NOW, TO STOP THE SEQUENCE OF OF THOSE STRIKINGS OF ISRAEL, WHICH IMMEDIATELY SPINS THE REGIONAL TO A FULL REGIONAL WAR.

MY ASSESSMENT, THAT THEY WILL PREPARE THE MORE MINOR KIND OF RESPONSE, DECORATED THE FACT THAT WE HAVE MAYBE CROSSED A RED LINE, BUT STILL CONTROLLING THE LEVELS OF THE FLAME AND TRYING TO REDUCE THE DAMAGE TO ISRAEL IN ORDER NOT TO PROVOKE ISRAEL, TO RETALIATE IN A MUCH HIGHER SCALE, WHICH WILL ESCALATE TO A FULL-SCALE WAR.

>> SO, YOU ARE MORE FOCUSED AND PERHAPS WORRIED ABOUT WHAT A RESPONSE FROM HEZBOLLAH COULD LOOK LIKE, VERSUS IRAN AND THE ASSASSINATION OF ISMAIL HANIYEH.

>> YES, OF COURSE, BECAUSE THE IRAN -- THE TACTICAL AND OPERATIONAL CAPABILITIES OF HEZBOLLAH AND THE DISTANCE FROM ISRAEL REMAIN VULNERABLE.

HAVING DENSELY CITIED, ARE MORE EFFICIENT IN USING THE MORE ADVANCED WEAPONRY.

THE ONE THAT WE HAVE ASSASSINATED YESTERDAY WAS RESPONSIBLE ON WHAT THEY CALL THE STRATEGIC CAPABILITIES OF HEZBOLLAH.

HE WAS THE ONE THAT WAS DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE ON THE SLAUGHTER OF -- THE MURDER OF THOSE 12 CHILDREN IN THAT SPORTS STADIUM IN SATURDAY.

HE'S THE ONE THAT'S RESPONSE OF KILLING 142 AMERICAN SOLDIERS.

HE'S A VERY ROUGH AND TOUGH TERRORIST WHO VERY PROFESSIONALLY ACCUMULATED ENORMOUS NUMBERS OF AMMUNITIONS, HEAVY ROCKETS, ACCURATE MISSILES THAT CAN REALLY DISRUPT DRAMATICALLY THE ROUTINE OF ISRAEL.

ISRAEL CAN DEFEND ITSELF AND IT WOULD PROBABLY RETALIATE IN A MANNER THAT WILL HARM AND -- HEZBOLLAH DRAMATICALLY, AND MAYBE EVEN UNINTENDEDLY, THE STATE OF LEBANON, BECAUSE HEZBOLLAH IS IMBEDDED IN THE IN INFRASTRUCTURE OF LEBANON AS A STATE.

SO, IT WILL BE SEVERE, BUT IT IS A POTENTIAL.

>> WE KNOW THUS FAR THREE COMMANDERS OF HEZBOLLAH CENTRAL UNITS HAVE BEEN KILLED, I BELIEVE, IN THIS CURRENT CONFLICT, HERELY 400 HEZBOLLAH FIGHTERS HAVE BEEN KILLED, A FEW DOZEN IDF SOLDIERS HAVE BEEN KILLED, AS WELL.

AS IT RELATES TO THE WAR IN GAZA, WHAT ARE YOUR VIEWS ON WHETHER OR NOT THIS DESTABILIZES ANY POTENTIAL FOR A CEASE-FIRE DEAL, FOR THE HOSTAGES TO COME HOME, WE KNOW EARLY ON THAT YAHYA SINWAR HAD BEEN HOPING THAT HEZBOLLAH WOULD PLAY A BIGGER ROLE IN THIS FIGHT.

THUS FAR, YES, THEY HAVE BEEN LAUNCHING MISSILES INTO ISRAEL SINCE OCTOBER 7th, BUT THEY HAVEN'T INCREASED INTO A FULL-ON OPEN SECOND FRONT WITH ISRAEL.

DO YOU THINK THIS IS A CALCULATION NOW THAT SINWAR WILL BE MAKING AS TO WHETHER OR NOT HE WILL BE WILLING TO ACCEPT A DEAL, TO SEE WHAT, IN FACT, HEZBOLLAH IS WILLING TO DO?

>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

IT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT CASE.

THE QUESTION RIGHT NOW, AND THE SITUATION RIGHT NOW IS ON THE VERGE OF A TIPPING POINT, POSSIBLE TIPPING POINT, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, ISRAEL IS ACHIEVING ITS OBJECTIVES OF THE WAR, AND IT CAN BRING TO THE SITUATION WHERE IT CAN COMPROMISE AND GO TO A HOSTAGE DEAL AS PRESENTED 3 1/2 WEEKS AGO, AND BASICALLY HAMAS ACCEPTED IT, BUT WE HAVE SOME DETAILS TO FINALIZE.

IF WE SUCCEED ON ACHIEVING A HOSTAGE DEAL, THAT WILL ENSURE THE FULL ACCOMPLISHMENT OF ALL THE TARGETS OF THE WAR.

BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, AND STRATEGIC ASPECTS, IT WILL CUT THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE TWO FRONTS.

THE CONNECTIONS THAT HEZBOLLAH WANTED TO CREATE.

THAT IS, WE WILL -- WE CAN ACHIEVE A CEASE-FIRE IN THE SOUTH, BRINGING BACK OUR HOSTAGES, AND FOCUS OUR ATTENTION ON RE-ESTABLISHING SOME FORM OF SECURITY REGIME IN THE NORTH BASED ON 1701 THAT IS THE WITHDRAWAL OF HEZBOLLAH, NOR NORTHERN RIVER.

I THINK IT IS POSSIBLE, BECAUSE WHEN WE FOCUS OUR INTENTION ON ONLY ONE FRONT, GIVEN, SHOWING OUR CAPABILITIES, IT MAY DRIVE THEM TO A MORE FLEXIBLE AND SUITABLE SITUATION.

>> WELL, WE WILL BE WATCHING CLOSELY, TAMIR, EVERY DAY WE CONTINUE TO SEE THINGS CONTINUE TO ESCALATE IN THE REGION, AND SETTING A NEW DETERRENCE IS SEEMING TO BE BOTH THE GOALS OF ALL PARTIES INVOLVED HERE, BUT AGAIN, AS WE SAW TRAGICALLY ON SATURDAY, MISCALCULATION IS WHAT MOST ARE WAR RER WORRIED ABOUT NOW, AND REMINDING VIEWERS THAT HEZBOLLAH NOW CONFIRMING WHAT THE IDF CONFIRMED YESTERDAY, AND THAT IS THE DEATH OF THE SENIOR COMMANDER, WHO IS BELIEVED TO BE BEHIND THE MURDER OF THOSE 12 DRUZE CHILDREN IN NORTHERN ISRAEL AND AS TAMIR NOTED, OVER 100 U.S. SERVICEMEN, AS WELL.

>>> AND PLEASE MAKE SURE TO STAY TUNED LATER THIS WEEK FOR MY INTERVIEW WITH A FORMER IDF PARATROOPER WHO IS REFUSING TO CURRENTLY SERVE IN GAZA.

HERE'S WHAT HE TOLD ME.

>> I MEAN, PEOPLE WERE TAKING SOUVENIRS OFF THE PALESTINIAN HOUSES, WHICH, I THINK, DIRECTLY RELATES TO THE DEMONIZATION WE'VE SEEN BEFORE THE ENTRANCE TO KHAN YUNIS.

PEOPLE WERE TAKING, YOU KNOW, NECKLACES AND DOING GRAFFITI ON THE WALLS, AND, YOU KNOW, LIVING BEHIND DAMAGED HOUSES THAT WAS JUST COMPLETELY UNNECESSARY.

>> DID YOU SAY ANYTHING IN RESPONSE TO THAT, TO EITHER THE SOLDIERS WHO YOU SAW LOOTING, OR TO YOUR SUPERVISORS?

>> YES.

THERE WAS A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF ARGUMENTS REGARDING THAT.

I WAS ARGUING ABOUT THAT ALL THE TIME.

I FELT -- I FELT LIKE I WA WASN'T -- I WAS IN A MORAL CONFLICT.

SEEING THINGS LIKE THAT MADE THINGS FEEL EVEN WORSE, SO, SPEAKING TO MY SUPERIORS, THEY -- SOME OF THEM AGREED WITH THEM, SOME OF THEM DIDN'T OR SOME OF THEM, YOU KNOW, WERE IN BETWEEN, BUT THEY -- ALL OF THEM WEREN'T ABLE TO CONTROL OUR ACTIONS.

NOW, YOU HAVE TO DO UNDERSTAND THAT I'M AS A RESERVIST, IN THIS PARTICULAR WAR, IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, THE EXTENT OF CONTROL WE HAVE OVER THE SOLDIERS IS SMALLER THAN THE ONE YOU HAVE OVER THE REGULAR SOLDIERS.

SO, MAYBE IN DIFFERENT PLACES, YOU KNOW, COMMANDERS COULD CONTROL THE SOLDIERS BETTER.

>> YOU SAID THAT A COMMANDER TOLD YOUR UNIT TO BURN THE HOUSE THAT YOU WERE STATIONED IN, AND IT WAS AFTER THAT YOU DECIDED NOT TO COME BACK TO DUTY.

>> THE EXTENT OF DANIELMAGE I'V SEEN IN GAZA IS BEYOND EVERY IMAGINATION.

YOU CANNOT IMAGINE IT.

CITIES THAT ARE COMPLETELY RUINED, AND AT SOME POINT, MY COMMANDER TOLD ME PLATOON TO BURN DOWN A HOUSE WE WERE STAYING AT, AND I WENT TO HIM, I APPROACHED HIM, AND I ASKED HIM, WHY ARE WE DOING THAT?

AND HE GAVE ME A FEW REASONS, AND I THINK THOSE REASONS WERE JUST NOT STRONG ENOUGH, AND THEY WERE, YOU KNOW, MILITARY TYPE OF REASONS, BUT THEY CAME ALONG THE REVENGE TYPE OF REASONS.

NOW, I THINK THIS JUST WHAT'S GOING ON IN GAZA, ISRAEL IS DOING THINGS BECAUSE IT NEEDS TO FULFILL A TYPE OF MILITARY PURPOSE, BUT IT ALL MIXES UP WITH OUR NEED FOR REVENGE -- THE ISRAELI NEED FOR REVENGE, AND I SAID, I'M NOT WILLING TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT.

I'M NOT DESTROYING A HOUSE THAT BELONGED TO FAMILIES THAT WOULD BECOME HOMELESS, BECAUSE OF THAT, AND I'M LEAVING.

AND I JUST LEFT ON THE NEXT -- WITH THE NEXT CAR THAT WENT OUT.

>> YOU MADE SIMILAR CLAIMS AND STATEMENTS AND ACCUSATIONS AGAINST THE IDF AND YOUR COMMANDERS AND SUPERIORS IN AN INTERVIEW WITH ABC NEWS, AND THE IDF IN RESPONSE SAID, QUOTE, ITS ACTIONS ARE BASED ON MILITARY NECESSITY AND IN ACCORD DANCE TO INTERNATIONAL LAW THERE WAS NO IDF DOCTRINE THAT AIMS AT CAUSING MAX MALL DAMAGE TO CIVILIAN INFRASTRUCTURE REGARDLESS OF MILITARY NECESSITY.

DEFACING HOMES WITH GRAFFITI AND STEALING HOUSEHOLD PERSONAL OBJECTS IS AGAINST THE IDF'S CODE OF CONDUCT AND VALUES.

THE IDF HAS ACTED AND CONTINUES TO ACT TO IDENTIFY UNUSUAL CASES THAT DEVIATE FROM WHAT IS EXPECTED OF IDF SOLDIERS.

WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THOSE STATEMENTS, AND THE FACT THAT THE IDF STATES THAT ANYONE WHO COMMITS THESE ACTS WILL FACE PROSECUTION?

>> I DO THINK THAT THE IDF, YOU KNOW, THE IDF IS AGAINST, IF YOU LOOK AT THINGS FROM ABOVE, FROM, YOU KNOW, THE SUPERIOR COMMANDERS OF THE IDF, I THINK THEY DO BELIEVE THAT THIS SHOULDN'T HAPPEN, LOOTING OR GRAFFITI, BUT I DON'T THINK IT HAS THE RESOURCES TO STOP IT.

AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THE SOLDIERS IN THE FIELD.

YOU CAN'T STOP ANY SOLDIER FROM DOING THINGS.

AND I THINK -- THAT'S WHAT I SAID ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE MIXUP OF THE MILITARY AND REVENGE TYPE OF PURPOSES.

IF A SOLDIER IS TELLING YOU, OR TRYING TO EXPLAIN SOMETHING WITH MILITARY REASONS, THAT SOMETIMES ARE TRUE, AND I'VE SEEN IT MANY TIMES IN WHICH, IN CASES THAT WAS TRUE.

IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO UNPROVE IT.

AND I COULD TELL YOU 100% THAT WE'VE DESTROYED HOUSES AT LEAST FOR REASONS THAT WERE JUST N NOT -- WE DON'T CARE ENOUGH ABOUT THE LIVES OF PALESTINIANS.

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