ISRAEL’S TOP general has warned that the Lebanese Shia Hizbullah militia has amassed tens of thousands of rockets, including some with a range of more than 300km (186 miles), putting Israel’s major population centres within reach.
Lieut Gen Gabi Ashkenazi told members of the Knesset parliament’s foreign affairs and defence committee yesterday that the relative quiet on Israel’s northern border is deceptive and if Hizbullah attacked, Israel would be forced to respond .
“We don’t delude ourselves. The situation is delicate and Hizbullah is growing stronger all the time. On one hand, the front is quiet, but when you lift your head up over the border, you see strengthening and bolstering,” the army chief said.
His comments came the day after the formation of a new government in Lebanon, which includes two Hizbullah members. “Everything that happens in Lebanese territory is the responsibility of the Lebanese government,” Gen Ashkenazi warned.
He blamed Iran for rearming the Shia group in the period following the one-month war between Israel and Hizbullah in the summer of 2007, during which some 4,000 rockets landed in Israel.
“There is a battle in the Middle East between the radicals and the moderates which is pushing Iran to radical acts to fund terror,” the general said.
“The Iranian challenge is to increase control in the Middle East through training, arms and money provided to all terror organisations.”
Last week Israeli navy commandos intercepted a vessel in the Mediterranean Sea carrying hundreds of tonnes of weapons. According to Israel the arms originated in Iran and were destined for Hizbullah via the Syrian port of Latakia.
Hizbullah, Iran and Syria all denied the Israeli claims.
Next year Israel plans to begin deployment of its new Iron Dome anti-missile defence system to counteract what is perceived as the growing rocket threat from Hizbullah in the north and Hamas in Gaza, in the south.
The first two batteries will be positioned close to the Gaza Strip border, but Gen Ashkenazi warned that even after full deployment rockets will still reach Israeli population centres.
Hizbullah’s new long-range rockets put the greater Tel Aviv area, Jerusalem and the Dimona nuclear reactor in the south of the country all within range.