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Alert raised on Lebanon border following Hezbollah threats against Israel
Israeli troops and communities on the Lebanon border were placed on high alert after Hezbollah threatened to retaliate to an alleged Israeli air strike against one of its positions.
A Hezbollah announcement yesterday on its television station Al-Manar said that, “The new aggression is a blatant assault on Lebanon and its sovereignty and its territory … The Resistance [Hezbollah] will choose the time and place and the proper way to respond to it.” Hezbollah said the attack caused material damage to one of its positions, but no injuries or casualties and it denied that artillery or rocket positions had been hit.
As a precaution, the IDF placed its forces on the Lebanon border on high alert. Meanwhile, Israeli farmers were told to stay away from the border fence and civil defence in border communities were also placed on heightened alert.
Residents near the Lebanon-Syria border, in an area considered a Hezbollah stronghold, said explosions nearby shook houses and flare bombs were seen in the vicinity, as the alleged air strike unfolded Monday night. Some media reports suggested the operation targeted an arms convoy moving ballistic missiles from Syria into Lebanon, presumably intended for Hezbollah, while others claimed the target was a Hezbollah missile base.
There has been no official confirmation of the operation by Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu commented on Tuesday, “I will not talk about claims that have been made about what we did or didn’t do. Our policy is clear – we do what we have to in order to secure Israel.” However, an unnamed Israeli security official told Time magazine that Israel had carried out the raid, to destroy missiles which are “heavier and more dangerous” than those previously used by Hezbollah.
Israel has repeatedly warned that any attempt to transfer sophisticated weaponry to Hezbollah, particularly missiles and advanced anti-aircraft equipment, would be met with a response. Hezbollah unleashed an arsenal of rockets against northern Israeli communities during the 2006 Second Lebanon War.