BEIRUT/JERUSALEM:Hezbollah is preparing a "calculated strike" against its enemy Israelafter suspected Israeli drones crashed in Beirut but it aims to avoid a newwar, two sources allied to Hezbollah told Reuters yesterday. A reaction"is being arranged in a way which wouldn't lead to a war" thatHezbollah does not want, one of the sources said. "The direction now isfor a calculated strike, but how matters develop, that's another thing."
Israeli PrimeMinister Benjamin Netanyahu said yesterday Hezbollah leader Sayyed HassanNasrallah should "calm down" after Nasrallah said the Iranian-backedmovement would respond to the crash of two drones in a Beirut suburb. In aspeech on Sunday, Nasrallah described the drones, including one that hadexploded, as the first Israeli attack in Lebanon since the two sides fought amonth-long war in 2006. "I say to the Israeli army on the border fromtonight, stand guard. Wait for us one, two, three, four days," Nasrallahsaid.
One of the dronesexploded near the ground, causing some damage to Hezbollah's media center inthe southern suburbs of the capital which it dominates. Israeli officials havedeclined to comment when asked if Israel was responsible. "I heard whatNasrallah said. I suggest to Nasrallah to calm down. He knows well that Israelknows how to defend itself and to pay back its enemies," Netanyahu said ina speech.
Precise detailsabout where the drones were fired from have yet to emerge. Hezbollah has saidthe two drones were rigged with explosives after its experts took apart thefirst drone. Asked if Israel attacked any ground targets in Lebanon in recentdays, Regional Cooperation Minister Tzachi Hanegbi, a member of Netanyahu'ssecurity cabinet, told Israeli Army Radio: "We of course did not respondto the accusations leveled at us. On their face, these things seem weird andintriguing. The media have reported this fact - that these are allegations thathave no basis."
Lebanon's HigherDefense Council, which includes the president, prime minister and armycommander, convened on Tuesday and said the Lebanese have "the right todefend themselves against any attack". Israel deems the heavily armedShiite Hezbollah movement the biggest threat across its border. In their 2006war nearly 1,200 people, mostly civilians, died in Lebanon and 158 people diedin Israel, mostly soldiers.
Regional sourcessay that Israel and Hezbollah have formed an unwritten understanding that whilethey can exchange fire within Syria, any attacks within Lebanon or Israel areto be avoided lest they escalate to war. Israel has grown alarmed by the risinginfluence of its foe Iran during the war in neighboring Syria, where Tehran andHezbollah provide military help to Damascus.
Tehran also haswide sway in Iraq, where a grouping of Iraq's mostly Shi'ite Muslimparamilitary groups, many of which are backed by Iran, have blamed recentblasts at their weapons depots and bases on the United States and Israel.Lebanese President Michel Aoun said on Monday his country had a right to defenditself, likening Israeli drone strikes to a "declaration of war".Late on Saturday, Israeli air strikes killed two Lebanese Hezbollah fighters inSyria.
Israel, whichregularly strikes Iranian-linked targets in Syria, said it hit a compoundcontrolled by Iran's Revolutionary Guards Quds force, accusing it of planningkiller drone attacks. Netanyahu also issued warnings to Lebanon and QassemSoleimani, commander of the Quds force, which the Israeli leader said aspiresto destroy Israel. "Watch what you say, and moreover be careful about whatyou do," Netanyahu said.
Andrea Tenenti,spokesman for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) that patrolsthe border with Israel, said the situation in the area remains quiet."UNIFIL continues to work with the parties to ensure that there are nomisunderstandings or incidents that may endanger the cessation ofhostilities," Tenenti told Lebanon's state news agency NNA, referring to aUN Security Council resolution that called for an end to the fighting in 2006.
In publiccomments during a visit on Sunday to Israel's north, where he met armycommanders, Netanyahu appeared to hold out the prospect of targeting Lebanondirectly for attack if Hezbollah struck Israel. "Any country that allowsits territory to be used for aggression against Israel will face theconsequences, and I repeat: the country will face the consequences," hesaid. - Reuters