Israel Solidifying Hold on Gaza, but Suffers First Soldier Death

Israel is most concerned with Hezbollah, which enjoys strong support from the Iranian government, Israel's largest, most ardent foe. As Israeli forces were poised to move into Gaza there were a whirlwind of meetings and discussions among Iran, Hezbollah and other anti-Israel entities.

Israeli infantry soldiers enter the Gaza Strip from Israel on a combat mission Sunday, Jan. 4, 2009....

Israeli infantry soldiers enter the Gaza Strip from Israel on a combat mission Sunday, Jan. 4, 2009. Israeli ground troops and tanks cut swaths through the Gaza Strip early Sunday, bisecting the coastal territory and surrounding its biggest city as the new phase of a devastating offensive against Hamas gained momentum.

(Sebastian Scheiner/AP Photo)
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Over the weekend, Saeed Jalili, head of Iran's National Security Council, met with Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut, Lebanon, and Hamas political chief Khaled Mashaal in Damascus, Syria.

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An Israeli political analyst who did not want to be identified said the meetings in and of themselves indicate that Iran may be trying to more closely coordinate future activities with Hezbollah and Hamas, but the analyst didn't think that they constituted a specific threat tied to the Israeli invasion of Gaza.

"Hamas has become more of an Iranian client," said the analyst, adding that if one looks at the meetings in this context, it "starts to make sense."

ABC News' Simon McGregor-Wood contributed to this story from the Israel-Gaza border. Sami Zyara contributed from Gaza. Bruno Nota, Nasser Atta, Dana Savir, Mimi Daher, Hiba Hajyahye and Michal Mentch-Gerstler contributed to this story from Jerusalem.