Hamas leaders want a major war

Hamas
New attacks on Lebanon - Hamas leaders want to see a major war

Ella Öfwerman

Updated 15.00 | Published 11.01

Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar does not want a ceasefire in Gaza, US intelligence sources told the New York Times.

Instead, he wants to see a major regional war.

And last night Israel's bombing of Beirut continued.

New explosions were heard in southern Beirut after Israeli attacks on Saturday night.

Shortly after midnight, the Israeli military (IDF) asked residents of southern Beirut to evacuate immediately. Shortly afterwards, the first reports of explosions and smoke came from the southern part of the city. According to the IDF, one target was an intelligence center for Hezbollah, Reuters reports.

On Saturday morning, Hamas leader Saeed Atallah was killed along with his family, according to a statement from the terrorist-classified group. The attack is said to have taken place on a refugee camp near the city of Tripoli, which was the first of its kind since fighting escalated in recent weeks.

Israel has not yet commented on the attack.

Smoke rises into the sky in Dahiyeh after the attacks on Saturday night. Photo: Bilal Hussein / AP

A photographer runs for cover after Friday's attacks on Dahiyeh. Photo: Hassan Ammar / AP

The Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip, Yahya Sinwar, is now determined to draw Israel into a wider regional conflict, American intelligence sources told the New York Times.

According to the sources, the leader's stance has hardened in recent weeks and American negotiators now believe that Hamas has no intention of reaching a settlement with Israel.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also rejected proposals in the negotiations, making talks more difficult.

A major war would, in Yahya Sinwar's assessment, force Israel's military to withdraw its operations in Gaza.

The war in the region has expanded, but not in a way that favors Hamas. After October 7, Hezbollah began carrying out attacks in northern Israel. Although the attacks drove Israelis from their homes, they did not put pressure on the Israeli military.

Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. Photo: Adel Hana / AP

Iran, which backs Hezbollah and Hamas, fired missiles at Israel on Tuesday in retaliation for the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut the previous Friday. But most of the missiles were shot down.

Although Yahya Sinwar's strategy has not yet succeeded, it could eventually do so. If Iran is drawn into Israel's fighting against Hezbollah, a larger war could break out and reduce pressure on Hamas.

But according to US intelligence sources, the probability is low. They believe that Iran's options are limited and that it does not want to confront Israel in the near future.

"The cavalry is not coming," a source told the newspaper.