Israel on Alert on Lebanon Border as Minister Stresses 'Policy' to Stop Arms Transfers to Hizbullah
Israeli troops on Monday went on alert along the border with Lebanon over fears of a military operation as a cabinet minister stressed that the Jewish State has a policy of preventing arms transfers to Hizbullah.
The state-run National News Agency said Israeli soldiers were on alert mainly in the area of the Shabaa Farms.
They carried out patrols in the areas of Wazzani and Kfarshouba hills as drones and helicopters flew overhead, the agency said.
The members of the patrols used goggles to monitor Lebanese territories, it added.
Israeli warplanes on Sunday struck near Damascus' international airport as well as outside a town close to the Lebanese border, the Syrian military said.
Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights quoted “trusted sources” as saying that the hangars that were bombed in the Dimas area near Damascus were “arms depots, most of which containing weapons for Lebanon's Hizbullah.”
“At least one of them contained missiles,” the sources said.
Citing reports, the Observatory said “several Hizbullah members” were killed in the strikes.
The raid on the Damascus airport targeted “supplies and equipment for regime forces and a small quantity of arms,” the Observatory said.
Since Syria's conflict began in March 2011, Israel has carried out several airstrikes in Syria that have targeted sophisticated weapons systems, including Russian-made anti-aircraft missiles and Iranian-made missiles, believed to be destined for Hizbullah.
Israel has never confirmed the strikes, and on Sunday the Israeli military said it does not comment on "foreign reports."
The Syrian armed forces' general command said Sunday's "flagrant attack" caused material damage, but did not provide any details on what was hit near the airport or in the town of Dimas, which is northwest of Damascus along the main highway from the capital to the Lebanese frontier.
"This aggression demonstrates Israel's direct involvement in supporting terrorism in Syria along with well-known regional and Western countries to raise the morale of terrorist groups, mainly the Nusra Front," the military said in a statement carried by SANA.
Israel's Intelligence Minister Yuval Steinitz refused to comment directly on Sunday's incident.
"We have a firm policy of preventing all possible transfers of sophisticated weapons to terrorist organisations," Steinitz told public radio on Monday in response to a question about the strikes, and apparently referring to Hizbullah.
over 9 years
Khizbollsh will always win as it strives in war. While kebanon will loose, the government weakned and hizbollah reinforced.
over 9 years
on alert on the lebanses border not the syrian one as they know syria will not retaliate preferring hezbollah to do their job...
over 9 years
(1). I think a serious deal has been made lately, but we shall see at least the tip of the iceberg soon enough. But it incumbents on us to draw the point firmly, that since independence, our major catastrophes came about from the Palestinian armed presence in Lebanon. We saw it all, PLO, PLA, Black September, all causes passed through our soil and none that was our concern anyway. The PLO left and we quickly had a replacement in the form of Hezbollah. All came to diminish the role of a strong Lebanese army fully capable of defending Lebanon's integrity and sovereignty. 7 decades on and we LEBANESE are still paying the price of the state's absenteeism. Now after so much trials and tribulations, only one answer is available to all of us Lebanese, a
over 9 years
(2). A Strong and powerful Army that can translate its control over all Lebanese territory, the end of all armed presence except the LAF, the dissolution of all militias including Hezbollah and all the Palestinian armed factions plus the Sunni ones too, and let's have a strong Lebanese State that is fully capable of exerting its will and control over all of Lebanon. We can no longer be a haven for terrorism of any kind or a place where one fake cause after the other comes to nest in our country. There is only ONE cause that is noble enough to pursue, the full integrity of Lebanon, its independence, sovereignty, and the full contiguity of all its territory. Once this is achieved, then we can all live as equals, and prosper in a country of laws and under strong constitutional institutions.
over 9 years
"HA was naturally created as a consequence, as a natural need to protect ourselves. "
natural consequence to protect yourselves in : Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Bahrain, Egypt??? HA was naturally created by Iran to advance its sectarian and political agenda in the region.
over 9 years
Chad, thanks for a good post, much of which I am in agreement. Now about Hezbollah, these days I really don't know, I don't know if Hezbollah is a blessing or a curse, if for any help Hezbollah is providing us with, it makes us pay with ten slaps, then I don;t need it. If for any good move HA does, it keeps derailing the constitutional elements of this country like delaying the presidential elections hence and so forth, then all I can say is that Hezbollah has become way too expensive as a collateral. This is why I keep saying that so far our only options starts with a strong army. Anyway Chad thanks for a very good post.
over 9 years
Israel only attacked Lebanon when Lebanon allowed the PLO to attack Israel from Lebanon. Israek first not attach Jordan not Egypt. Why should we protect ourselves from Israel if we respect the non aggression agreement that was signed with Israel long time ago. Hezbollah is not there to protect us from Israel. Peace or non aggression and the lebanese army is our best protector. Hezbollah is there to impose the hegemony of the imperialistic Iranian wilayat el faqih.
over 9 years
What about the groups collaborating with Syria and Iran. What about these traitors?
over 9 years
"Until this ugly sectarian atmosphere is resolved HA is needed and will remain. "
HA is the root cause for this sectarian atmosphere you claim it exists to combat. By your logic, every sect that feels threatened should arm itself and have a militia. Great! You seek protection in the state and its institutions not through your armed militias. There is no reason for the existence of HA other than iranian sectarian agenda.
over 9 years
should hang every politician who refused to arm our soldiers since taef and before
over 9 years
And guess who is not giving the green light to arm the LA?
Hint:
The same people who gave the green light to assassinate Cheikh Bachir
over 9 years
well said southern
over 9 years
Yes Israel but also Syria. Syria opposed the delivery of 300 Hot missiles to arm the gazelles of the lebanese Air Force.
over 9 years
Israel refused long range surface to air and surface to surface missiles. While Syria refused even short range missiles.
over 9 years
hahaha! how you expose them one by one; how you reveal their inconsistencies; how you reveal their weaknesses are all acts of pure genius. You are no doubt the king of debate, the undisputed emperor of naharnet. Somesing anazar flamesrower, completely anazar!
over 9 years
"syria hates lebanon a bit more than israel does"
funny how one forgets what his idiot leader said for decades for the sake of his new propaganda... only prove how hypocrit FPMers are....
over 9 years
well said ...flamethrower--
over 9 years
RIP RIP flamethrower
over 9 years
deleting my comment by a sectarian does not mean the news is not correct LOL.
16 hours ago MTV: Two Hizbullah members who hail from the towns of Jibshit and Majdal Zoun have been killed in battles in Syria.
over 9 years
best news during this glorious holiday season. I wish for more good news
over 9 years
by deleting your comments, FT and southern do reverse reality and the 2 HA terrorists who died in Syria will "un-die":)
over 9 years
more good news
over 9 years
16 minutes ago Sources to Al-Arabiya: Two Hizbullah members were killed in yesterday's Israeli raid on Syria.
over 9 years
Southern we are in a free country and if one believes that we should make peace with Israel does not make him a traitor.
over 9 years
Syria organized the assassination of dearest Bashir...FULL STOP.
over 9 years
RIP RIP RIP dear flamethrower
over 9 years
another day, another article, another dollar as flamethrower embarks on yet another journey to achieve his childhood illusive dream of posting nonstop propaganda
over 9 years
SSNP is the reason, Lebanon wasen't sold to Israel this day.
over 9 years
It's funny that Israelis consume themselves with Lebanese News. says a lot.
over 9 years
+1Samy
over 9 years
yes it's funny
over 9 years
hahahaha! They cannot prove it flamesrower, they cannot! hahahaha!
over 9 years
No problem at all. Go and visit Amine in Bikfaya...he will tell you.
over 9 years
On another level...we must get rid of the palestinians (Saudi Arabia is large and rich). We should never forget the harm that the Butcher did to Lebanon....and who still considers Lebanon as his province...once he is gone we can make peace between two states. We must also make peace with Israel on the basis of May 17 1983 agreement in which Israel recognizes the international borders of Lebanon. At such time, Lebanon will become economically prosperous in all the regions and for all its citizens.
over 9 years
bless anyone person, entity, organization, brigade or country that inflicts pain and suffering, death and destruction upon the iranian sectarian terrorist militia and its supporters wherever they maybe including but not limited to flamethrower and southern.
over 9 years
Why didn't the mighty syrian air force intercept the israeli warplanes, or are they good only at hitting at their own people?
over 9 years
The M14 sponsored takfiris, begged Israel for help. Israel found an excuse to intervene.
over 9 years
so well said
over 9 years
I miss @blablablabla
On the contrary...their aim is to launch a war which will be destructive to the whole country. Guess who will win then?