Hezbollah warns Israel against war

Lebanon’s Hezbollah resistance movement says it is ready to give a crushing response to any future Israeli attacks, warning Tel Aviv of another humiliating defeat.

Marking the fourth anniversary of Hezbollah’s 33-day war with Israel, the movement’s deputy Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem said on Friday that Tel Aviv would suffer huge losses if it wages another war on the country.

“If the result of the July (2006) war was a failure to the Israelis, then Israel would suffer a big loss in its next aggression,” Qassem said in interview with Syrian television.

Qassem made the remarks after Israel’s military, in a rare move, released a number of maps and aerial photographs showing that Hezbollah has moved most of its facilities into southern Lebanon near the Israeli border, claiming that the resistance movement is preparing for war.

Analysts, however, believe that the publication of the “valuable intelligence information” meant to demonstrate Israel’s power and prepare public opinion for a future war.

Israel fought a 33-day war against Hezbollah in the summer of 2006 to destroy the military power of the Lebanese resistance.

Tel Aviv was eventually forced to leave the region without achieving any of its objectives and after suffering a humiliating defeat.

The carnage destroyed most of Lebanon’s infrastructure and claimed the lives of more than 1,200 Lebanese — mainly civilians — and more than 160 Israelis — mostly soldiers.