Hezbollah resupplying arms, through Turkey
Pastor Dale Morgan
Hezbollah resupplying arms, through Turkey*
Israeli, Lebanese officials warn of '2nd round' of confrontations
Posted: August 21, 2006
News From Israel
JERUSALEM – Hezbollah has returned to many of its strongholds in south
Lebanon and is capable of launching another round of attacks against the
Jewish state, Israeli and Lebanese officials said.
The statements follow scores of reports Iran and Syria are attempting to
rearm Hezbollah one week after a cease-fire between Israel and Lebanon
went into effect following 34 days of confrontations that began when
Lebanese militia ambushed an Israeli patrol unit, kidnapping two
soldiers and killing eight others.
"Hezbollah has undoubtedly returned to their positions," Walid Jumblatt,
Lebanon's Druze leader and head of the country's Progressive Socialist
Party, said. "They were victorious against Israel and now they are
regrouping for another round, which is inevitable."
A senior Israeli security official said the Israeli Defense Forces
estimates Hezbollah members were among the tens of thousands of Lebanese
who returned to the country's southern villages after the cease-fire was
imposed last week.
The official said some Hezbollah members returned south in full view of
the Israeli army, which has ceased most operations in Lebanon.
Last week, the official warned that Hezbollah maintains the ability to
fire hundreds of rockets per day into northern Israel.
"Hezbollah's infrastructure in areas nearing the Latani (River) was not
destroyed," the official said.
The official pointed to a volley of 240 rockets fired by Hezbollah one
day before last week's cease-fire was imposed, the largest number the
group has launched. One Israeli civilian was killed in the attacks; 26
others were injured.
"The message sent is that Hezbollah absolutely maintains the capability
of firing hundreds of rockets per day into Israel," commented the
official. "Wasn't one of the military campaign's main goals to eliminate
the rocket threat?"
The IDF already has transferred to a symbolic contingent of the Lebanese
Army the majority of positions Israel held the past few weeks, including
the cities of Tyre and Bint Jbail, which contain large Hezbollah
contingents.
Israeli officials say if the Lebanese Army's deployments continue on
schedule and if an international force arrives, Israeli forces can be
withdrawn to within about one mile of Israel's border with Lebanese in
10 days.
Meanwhile, according to reports, Iran and Syria are working to quickly
resupply Hezbollah.
The London based Arabic daily al-Sharq al-Awast quoted leaders of Iran's
Revolutionary Guards stating "huge supplies" of weapons reached Syria
the past three weeks and are awaiting transfer to Lebanon.
Israeli security officials said Turkey has been working with the United
States and Israel to stop arms transfers from crossing through its
territory. Israel believes nearly all of the heavy weapons that Iran has
provided to Hezbollah passed through Turkish ground or airspace en route
to Syria and then to Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon.
The Turkish Hurriyet newspaper reported today Turkish authorities
prevented five Iranian airplanes and a Syrian aircraft from flying into
Lebanon, suspecting them of transporting arms to Hezbollah.
According to Hurriyet and other reports in Turkish media, one of the
aircraft, a private Iranian airplane, was not allowed to leave for
Lebanon after American intelligence reports indicated the plane carried
three missile launchers and containers with Iranian Silkworm C-802
land-to-sea missiles. A C-803 missile badly damaged an Israeli naval
vessel in July.
Israeli officials are worried the cease-fire will break down due to the
arms transfers.
"Sooner or later we will be compelled to use aerial attacks to strike if
we have information arms shipments are coming in from Syria," said an
Israeli Air Force official who spoke on condition his name be withheld.
The IAF official warned Israeli strikes are expected to be followed by a
renewal of Hezbollah rocket attacks against northern Israeli communities.
Abu Oudai, chief rocket coordinator for the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades
terror group in the West Bank, said if Hezbollah restarts attacks,
Palestinian terror groups will join in.
"We are coordinating with all the powers. We are working hard to carry
out all kinds of attacks. ...The best is if [the next wave] is a war in
more than one front," Abu Oudai said.