With their desire for a deal to end their misery, Ignatius notes that Hamas is "playing a waiting game," hoping that Iran or Hezbollah will attack Israel, a move that would transform the battlefield.
However, he writes that Iran will likely disappoint Hamas. He reports that US officials estimate that Iranian leaders have decided to delay their strike on Israel, deterred by strong threats by the US.
According to Ignatius, Tehran is urging Hezbollah to strike Israel in its place. On Hezbollah's part, US officials believe that its leader Hassan Nasrallah has backed down from his initial plan to launch a missile barrage on Tel Aviv and will instead choose to hit other targets.
Ignatius also reported that Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani will visit Tehran next week to meet with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and will attempt to convince him to hold off on attacking Israel before a deal is reached. Israel National News - Arutz Sheva
