Syria joined Iran Wednesday in blaming Israel for the death of Hizbullah operations officer Imad Mughniyeh. A senior Syrian source said that Mughniyeh was a target for both American and Israeli intelligence, but laid the blame squarely on Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak's shoulders.

"(Barak) tends toward this kind of quality operation against resistance leaders… and wants to boost the morale of the Israeli army after the loss it suffered in the Lebanon War in the summer of 2006, and revive the military establishment's deterrent ability," said the Syrian source.