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UN troops 'miss' arms smuggling
10/02/2008 17:30 - (SA)
Jerusalem - Hezbollah fighters have smuggled hundreds, if not thousands, of rockets and anti-tank missiles into southern Lebanon without being detected by UN observers, senior Israeli security officials believe.
Beefed-up UN forces were stationed in south Lebanon after the monthlong war between Israel and Hezbollah in 2006, partially to keep the group from smuggling weapons into the area. But despite the UN presence, rockets and anti-tank missiles numbering in the high hundreds or low thousands have been smuggled into Shi'ite villages since the war ended, the Israeli officials said.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss confidential military assessments. They offered no evidence to back up their claims, which were based on classified intelligence reports.
In Beirut on Sunday, a Hezbollah spokesperson said: "We don't comment on security and military affairs." Buffer zone
Yasmina Bouziane, spokesperson for the 13 000-strong UN peacekeeping force, known as UNIFIL, would not comment on the report on Sunday.
The UN troops patrol a buffer zone near the border with Israel with the help of 15 000 Lebanese soldiers. The force was deployed after the month-long war to help the Lebanese extend their authority into the south for the first time in decades and create a buffer zone free of Hezbollah fighters.
Hezbollah fighters have maintained a low profile in south Lebanon since the conflict, but Israel believes the quiet has masked a concerted rearmament effort. Israel claims Hezbollah has smuggled arms in shipments marked as civilian, with most thought to have arrived from Iran through Syria. Some of the group's new missiles are capable of striking south of Tel Aviv, security officials have said.
Syria and Iran have denied moving weapons into Lebanon. But last year, the UN Security Council expressed "grave concern" about the reports of arms smuggling to Hezbollah.
The Israeli security officials estimate that more than 20 000 rockets are deployed in Lebanon, including north of the Litani River - outside the jurisdiction of the UN forces. Before the war, Hezbollah had 13 000 rockets deployed, Israel estimates.
During the 34-day war, Hezbollah bombarded Israel with nearly 4 000 rockets. The rockets struck as far south as Hadera, 45km north of Tel Aviv.
It has launched no rockets at Israel since the war ended in August 2006.
Between 1 035 and 1 191 Lebanese civilians and combatants were killed during the military campaign, and 119 Israeli soldiers and 40 civilians died, according to official figures from both sides.
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