When Israel killed five Hezbollah fighters on the Syrian side of the Golan Heights on Sunday, Jan. 18, the Zionist state violated several international treaties, beating the drums of war in a region already suffering from violence and chaos. 

The Israeli attack, which also claimed the life of an Iranian general, was a deliberate, uncalled for provocation, days after Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah warned Israel not to attack Syria. 

The strike is an attempt to further destabilize the area. A regional war will harm all actors, including Israel. But the Israeli right wing prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is willing to sacrifice peace in his own country to advance his political agenda. Netanyahu has been trying to disrupt the Iranian nuclear talks with world powers. Provoking a war serves this purpose and reinforces the Israeli rhetoric that peace is not possible with Iran. 

The Israeli PM will be addressing Congress in March to convince American lawmakers to impose more sanctions on the Islamic Republic to sabotage President Obama’s efforts in the negotiations. An Israeli war with Hezbollah would threaten the negotiations and continue the fear-mongering against Iran. 

The Israel assault is illegal. The strike breaches the 1974 ceasefire agreement between Israel and Syria. By killing Lebanese citizens, the Israeli army also violated UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which mandates a truce between Lebanon and Israel.

It is not clear how and if Hezbollah will respond to the Israeli strike. However, if the Lebanese militant group attacks Israel, it would be a reaction, not an act of aggression. But world powers that did not utter a word to condemn the Israeli crime would be quick to defend Israel if it is attacked. 

This happened in Gaza last summer when Hamas was accused of starting the war, while Israel had been arresting, shooting and bombing Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank for months prior. 

The Israeli strike against Hezbollah in Syria is an unintelligent and perplexing gamble that the world should condemn.