The Iranian-sponsored Hizbullah, fearful of U.S. diplomatic and military pressure, has sought to launch an indirect dialogue with Washington. Lebanese opposition sources said Hizbullah has recruited senior Lebanese commanders and politicians to send messages to the U.S. intelligence community. The sources said the Lebanese interlocutors were asked to seek an understanding with Washington that would avoid U.S. diplomatic or military pressure on Hizbullah or its ally, Syria. Hizbullah was most concerned of a major Israeli military strike on either Lebanon or Syria, the sources said. They said Syria encouraged Hizbullah to send a reassuring message to Washington amid an assessment that President George Bush would wage a more assertive U.S. policy in the Middle East during his second term. The reported CIA-Hizbullah contacts have been regarded as part of a Syrian-sponsored effort to relieve Western pressure on the regime of President Bashar Assad. Over the last few months, Assad has repeatedly offered to renew negotiations with Israel.