According to unnamed Western intelligence sources cited by the UAE-owned Sky News Arabia, Iran and Hezbollah are preparing to launch a retaliatory strike against Israel on Tisha B’Av, in response to the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, leader of Hamas last week. This day of mourning for the destruction of the two Jewish temples begins at sunset on August 12 and concludes at nightfall on August 13.
The sources suggest that the timing is strategically chosen to leverage psychological and tactical advantages. By attacking on Tisha B’Av, the aim is to evoke historical traumas of destruction and displacement among Jews, thereby intensifying the psychological impact on Israeli society.
For Muslim audiences sympathetic to Iran and Hezbollah's viewpoint, an attack on this significant day would imply that Israel is susceptible to destruction, echoing the historical vulnerabilities faced by Jews. Additionally, the choice of a major religious observance might exploit Israel's potentially reduced defences, aiming to heighten the state of chaos similar to the surprise attack Egypt launched on Yom Kippur in 1973.