Israeli troops shelled several Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon today, nominally in retaliation for a bombing attack against troops along the border. It was soon apparent, however, that Hezbollah was not to blame.
Rather, it was al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI), the splinter faction which controls territory across northern Syria and Iraq, which claimed credit for the strike. The bomb hit an Israeli military convoy, though it did not cause any injuries.
Hezbollah and AQI have been fighting against one another in the Syrian Civil War, with Hezbollah backing the Assad government and AQI the largest of the rebel factions. Israel has long expressed a preference for the rebels, though the rise of al-Qaeda-style groups has had some officials hinting at a rethink.
While the border strike in and of itself was fairly inconsequential, the first AQI strike against Israel could be a further escalation by the group across the region. The group is active in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon, attacking targets there regularly, and has suggested it intends to spread across much of the region.
Despite its name, AQI is no longer actually affiliated with al-Qaeda, which disavowed the group earlier this year for its overly brutal behavior in Syria. Al-Qaeda has named Jabhat al-Nusra, a rival rebel faction, its official representation in Syria.
"The bomb hit an Israeli military convoy, though it did not cause any injuries".
Nothing, nada, nichet, zero, zilch damage to convoy, so Israel army-convoys are made of the iron man dresses as iron man, drive the batman car-convoy and have the iron will to be the next Hollywood production of Zion-iron movie directed by Kunitzishit.
see how quick and easy it is to blame Hezbollah, lets hold Lebanon responsible for every attack perpetrated against Israel by AQI. Wonder if these are the same "moderate rebels," trained and supported by the US?
Why not call the group Islamic State in Iraq and Levant (ISIL) or Islamic State in Iraq and Sham (ISIS). AQI is the old name and I doubt that the group uses that name any more.
And how much prodding did it take? I mean, some press had credited an attack or two by some "AQ" on Israel/Jews before. But don't we just keep asking how it is they just never do? Jeez! Some ideologues these stooges turned out to be…they just keep getting sicked on Israel's chosen 'enemies.'
Like the "rocket attacks" in Gaza, no casualties again. Al Qaeda was sure better attacking the US in Iraq. I guess the Israeli soldiers are just so much better than ours……NOT! Those rockets in Gaza always land in vacant fields, and always come, suspiciously, just prior to when Israel does something heinous.. How long will the media fail to ask questions and fall for this crap?