Israeli embassies instructed to raise alert level in wake of Mugniyah killing
Security establishment fears Iran, Hizbullah will attempt to regain deterrence by launching major terror attacks against Israeli representative bodies abroad. Army prepares for possible infiltration attempt by the Lebanese terror group
The Shin Bet security service has instructed all Israeli representative bodies abroad to raise their alert level in the wake of Tuesday's assassination of senior Hizbullah terrorist Imad Mugniyah in Damascus, which the Lebanese Shiite terror group said was carried out by Mossad agents.
Meanwhile, IDF Chief of Staff, Lt.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi instructed the alert level to be raised on the ground and in the air in order to protect the northern border.
Security officials said the army was prepared for any scenario, including an attempt by Hizbullah terrorists to infiltrate Israel by sea or by air.
Israeli intelligence agencies will increase their efforts to gather information on possible plots to attack the country's embassies and consulates worldwide. Additional representative bodies, such as El Al and Jewish Agency branches overseas have also been instructed to heighten their alert level.
The security establishment fears Iran and Hizbullah will attempt to reestablish their deterrence by carrying out major terror attacks against Israeli, Jewish and American institutions. Terror cells linked to Hizbullah and Iran have been dormant in recent years, and it is estimated that it would take some time to reactivate them.
The United States considers Mugniyah to be the man behind the bombing of the American embassy in Beirut and the attack against the US Marines' headquarters in Lebanon in 1983, which killed over 200 Americans.
The assassinated arch-terrorist is believed by Israel to have been involved in planning the 1992 bombing of Israel's embassy in Argentina in which 29 people were killed and the blast at a Buenos Aires Jewish center two years later that killed 95.
