The murder in Dubai of a Hamas operative last January thrust the murky world of Israeli espionage into the headlines. Despite international outcry, Israel has not confirmed responsibility, "the government will continue to do what it needs to", is the Foreign Ministry's line. In the small Hezbollah stronghold of Nabatieh in Southern Lebanon, a local owner of a car dealership has been arrested. "He would swear at Jews, and he is an agent, bringing them here!" Says his stunned neighbour. "It really has been an enormous unravelling" says Alistair Crooke, ex MI6, of the Lebanese government's uncovering countless Israeli intelligence operations, "it is much more damaging than Dubai, because there may soon easily be some form of conflict here in Lebanon". And over the border in Syria a spate of extra-judicial killings are crippling Israel's credibility. "This is a criminal act", says Syrian deputy Foreign Minister Dr Mekdad of the bombing of a Hezbollah military leader's car. "This is simply a program of political killings", Crooke warns, adding that they will radicalise enemies, despite Israeli government justification of hits as "self-protection".