The Telegraph, Times and the online edition of the Guardian all cover a candid admission by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards that one of its commanders was killed in an air strike in Syria, which also killed several Hezbollah operatives on Sunday. Israel is thought to have carried out the strike, although there has been no official recognition. The Times says that the Iranian commander was planning the building of four Hezbollah bases in Syria, underscoring Hezbollah’s deep presence in the country and Iran’s staunch support for such a presence.

The Independent and the online edition of the Financial Times both report that there is tension on Israel’s northern border following Sunday’s operation and a sense of inevitability that Hezbollah will respond. Both articles note the accusation in some quarters of Israeli commentary that the timing of the air strike could have been influenced by Israel’s upcoming general election in March.

The Telegraph online says that Syria has finally begun destroying its network of bunkers which were used to produce chemical weapons, a move which had been delayed, but which is in compliance with Syria’s commitment to rid itself of its chemical weapons capability. Meanwhile, the Independent online reports that ISIS is amassing forces on the border with Lebanon which could lead to a potential confrontation with Hezbollah which has strongholds on the region.

The Times includes a small commentary item which notes that there are a number of Hezbollah and Iranian sleeper cells in South America waiting to be given instruction to carry out a terrorist attack. The piece accompanies coverage in the Times, which also appears in the Telegraph, Independent i, Financial Times and the online edition of the Guardian surrounding the sudden and mysterious death yesterday of an Argentinian prosecutor who investigated the 1994 bombing of a Jewish centre in Buenos Aires. Alberto Nisman had accused Argentina’s Prime Minister Kirchner and Foreign Minister of “erasing” Iranian involvement in the terror attack for trade reasons.

The Guardian online reports that the European Union has confirmed that it will appeal a recent ruling by a European court to take Hamas off its list of terrorist organisations, a decision which was taken following an appeal on procedural grounds.

The Independent online says that Israel has indicted seven Arab citizens with membership of ISIS. The men are accused of planning to attack Israeli Druze citizens in the north of the country and eventually to fight in Syria.

Another report in the Independent online covers comments made by US Senator Lindsey Graham, who warned the Palestinian Authority (PA) that it could lose millions in American aid if it pursues the prosecution of Israelis in the International Criminal Court (ICC).

In the Israeli media, Yediot Ahronot and Israel Hayom lead with the award of 57 citations for excellence and bravery handed to soldiers for their actions during Operation Protective Edge during the summer. Both headline the recipients as “heroes.”

Both Maariv and Haaretz focus on the tension on the northern border following Sunday’s air strike in Syria. Maariv highlights comments made by Chief of Staff Benny Gantz, who said that Israel’s military is prepared for anything. Channel Ten predicts that a Hezbollah response could come from the Syrian border, while Israel Radio news says that Iron Dome batteries have been deployed in the north and that Israel’s security cabinet will meet today to discuss the situation. Meanwhile, Yediot Ahronot’s Alex Fishman speculates that the operation perhaps had a wider impact than was intended, as “Syrian sovereignty was harmed, a Hezbollah symbol was hit, and an Iranian general was killed.”

Maariv rounds up a variety of election-related news, highlighting that Amos Yadlin, the former Head of Military Intelligence will join the joint Labour-Hatnuah Zionist Camp list, and that a Likud internal court has revised its primaries result, placing MK Tzipi Hotovely in an electable slot at the expense of Avi Dichter. Israel Radio news covers the Meretz primaries, which were held yesterday and saw all of the party’s current MKs selected in the top five slots on the list.