US official ridicules Lebanese army

A senior US official has downplayed the Lebanese military prowess, claiming that the Israeli regime is capable of destroying the army within hours.

Frederick Hoff, a senior advisor to the United States Middle East envoy George Mitchell, told Lebanese Army chief of staff Jean Kahwaji that the Israeli army is ready to destroy the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) within four hours, if another border clash were to occur, The Jerusalem Post reported, citing the Lebanese newspaper Aliwaa on Friday.

Hoff warned that the Israeli military would destroy all the Lebanese military infrastructure, including army bases and offices, in only four hours.

The harsh warning came weeks after an exchange of fire between Lebanese and Israeli troops along the border, which left two Lebanese soldiers, a Lebanese journalist and an Israeli officer dead.

The exchange of fire took place on August 3 after Israeli troops tried to cut down a tree on the Lebanese soil.

Hoff’s warning is Washington’s second pro-Israeli reaction to the border clash.

Shortly after the “tree incident,” US Congress blocked some 100 million dollars in aid to Lebanon’s military saying the equipment might be used against its staunch ally, Israel.