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Hezbollah 'now more powerful'
20/02/2007 07:26 - (SA)
Jerusalem - Hezbollah is militarily stronger today than before the 34-day war Israel waged against its Shi'ite militia in Lebanon last summer, a senior Israeli officer was quoted as saying by army radio on Monday.
General Yossi Beidatz, a senior military intelligence officer, reportedly told parliament's defence and foreign affairs committee that "Hezbollah has reinforced and it is stronger today than it was before the war in Lebanon".
Syria, accused along with Iran of supplying arms to Hezbollah, is similarly reinforcing its military to prepare for the possibility of a new armed conflict in the region, Beidatz added.
However, defence minister Amir Peretz, who attended the same committee meeting, sought to "clarify" Beidatz's comments, the radio said.
Beidatz's statement did not refer "to the weapons Hezbollah has at present because a portion of them have not been delivered", said Peretz, who has been harshly criticised at home for alleged mismanagement of the war.
Preparing for new war
Separately, the Israeli army said that "various weapons coming from Syria and Iran reach Hezbollah regularly... including types of armaments which they did not have in the past", but did not elaborate on the new weaponry.
Israel sought to destroy the Shi'ite militia in a 34-day bombardment of Lebanon last July and August, but failed to achieve many of its war aims, leading to an official inquiry into the war's conduct.
Israelis were incensed at their military's failure to slow the torrent of around 4 000 Hezbollah rockets that rained down on Israel during the war, killing 40 civilians. An additional 120 Israeli soldiers died in the conflict.
An estimated 1 200 people died in Lebanon as Israel waged a devastating air war.
Infrastructure minister Binyamin Ben Eliezer recently said Israel should expect a new war with Hezbollah in 2007.
- AFP
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