U.S. "Cautiously Optimistic" On European Hezbollah Designation: State Department

The Jerusalem Post reports cautious optimism from a top U.S. official over efforts to secure European Union designation of Hezbollah as a terrorist entity. State Department coordinator for counterterrorism Daniel Benjamin, speaking at the Brookings Institution, suggested that the decision might "at last" come but declined to give a specific date. Bulgaria is expected to soon announce results from its investigation into the summer's Burgas, Bulgaria bombing, in which five Israelis and a Bulgarian were killed. Hezbollah is widely suspected of being behind the attack, and should Sofia formally link the Iran-backed terror group to the bombing it would be difficult for the E.U. to avoid a designation.