Qassem Soleimani Meets Hassan Nasrallah Following the Death of an IRGC Commander

Fars News Agency, citing Lebanon's Al-Mayadeen television, reported that Qassem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), met with Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, leader of Hezbollah Lebanon, 48 hours after the death of Mohammad Ali Allahdadi, an IRGC commander, in an Israeli attack. Mohammad Ali Allahdadi, along with six members of Hezbollah, including Jihad Mughniyeh, a senior Hezbollah commander and the son of Imad Mughniyeh, was killed in an Israeli airstrike on January 18 in Quneitra in the Golan region of Syria. Al-Mayadeen broadcast images of Qassem Soleimani attending a memorial for Jihad Mughniyeh in Beirut. According to the report, Qassem Soleimani returned to Tehran the same night after meeting with Hassan Nasrallah. Al-Mayadeen also stated that Soleimani discussed current issues, including the Israeli attack on Quneitra, during the meeting. In addition to Qassem Soleimani, Alaeddin Boroujerdi, head of the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of the Parliament, also traveled to Beirut with a delegation and participated in the memorial for Jihad Mughniyeh on Thursday, February 9, and met with the Lebanese Foreign Minister today, Friday. The meeting between Qassem Soleimani and Hassan Nasrallah occurred two days after the Israeli attack on Quneitra, during which IRGC commanders stated that Israel should expect retaliation. Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister, also mentioned that they had sent a message to the U.S. indicating that Israeli officials 'should expect the consequences of their actions.' However, Jen Psaki, the U.S. State Department spokesperson, denied receiving such a message from Iran. Hezbollah, which had threatened retaliation for the Israeli attack, launched an attack with anti-tank missiles on an Israeli military patrol in the Shebaa Farms of Lebanon, which is occupied by Israel, on February 8. Following that, Israel announced that two of its soldiers were killed and seven others were injured. In response, Israel shelled areas in southern Lebanon, resulting in the death of a Spanish UN peacekeeper. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated on Thursday, February 9, that Iran was responsible for Hezbollah's attack on Israeli soldiers, while also claiming that both Israel and Hezbollah do not wish to escalate tensions. Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon also mentioned that he had received a message from Hezbollah through UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) emphasizing this point.