‘Hamas may join Hezbollah, allow rockets from Gaza’

A senior intelligence official tells The Times of Israel that Hamas may join Hezbollah in an effort to cozy up to Iran.

Hamas over the past few days clarified that it supports Hezbollah’s right to respond to the assassination of senior members, for which it blames Israel. The official says Hamas may not suffice with a statement this time around but may actually allow rocket fire from Gaza into Israel.

The official confirms that dozens of Hezbollah advisers returned urgently from Iraq to Lebanon and this may mean the initial assessments that Hezbollah is not interested in a serious escalation may be wrong.

In a telling development, Hezbollah has paid all its members’ salaries early, before the end of the month, even though the Shiite organization usually pays salaries on the first day of the month, the official says. He says that until now it hasn’t been clear why Hezbollah paid the salaries yesterday. Today’s attack, and what may follow, may provide a reason.

— Avi Issacharoff