Israel deterred from launching new war on Lebanon: Hezbollah deputy chief

Lebanon’s Hezbollah resistance movement says its high level of defense readiness has so far deterred Israel from launching a new act of aggression against the country, warning that any such war would end in a “guaranteed loss” for the regime.

“All the indications point to the fact that Israel is deterred. It has not taken a decision to act in a renewed aggressive manner against Lebanon at this stage,” Naim Qassem, Hezbollah’s deputy leader, said in a Thursday interview with al-Akhbar daily.

“It does not flow from its morals, but rather from its understanding that any war against Lebanon is a guaranteed loss for Israel,” he added.

Qassem noted that any military adventures by Israel would yield no “positive results, either on the ground or in the political arena.”

“The resistance is at the peak of its readiness. If Israel surprises, despite the political analysis, it will be a foolish and reckless step. The level of Hezbollah’s readiness enables it to withstand any possible war, both numerically and in terms of means and goals,” he pointed out.

On April 2, Lebanese Prime Minister Sa’ad Hariri warned that recent Israeli actions have indicated a desire for a new conflict after Israel unveiled the “David’s Sling” missile system at Hatzor air force base in central occupied Palestinian territories.

Read more:

• Hariri: Israel wants new war against Lebanon ​

The system became operational amid heightened tensions along northern borders with Lebanon and Syria.

Another Israeli war on horizon?

On Thursday, Hezbollah invited journalists to the Lebanese borders to cover the measures being taken by the Israeli military in anticipation of another war.

“This tour is to show the defensive measures that the enemy is taking,” said Hezbollah spokesman Mohamed Afif, on hilltop along the so-called Blue Line.

A Hezbollah commander, identified as Haj Ihab, also said the Israeli military is erecting earth berms up to 10 meters (30 feet) high.

“Because their position is directly by the border and the enemy fears that the resistance will advance on it, they have constructed a cliff and additional earth berms and put up concrete blocks,” he said.

A string of statements from Israeli officials threatening a potential war prompted Lebanese President Michel Aoun to warn recently that any Israeli attempt to violate his country's sovereignty would be met with an “appropriate response.” 

Israeli Education Minister Naftali Bennett said last month that “life in Lebanon today is not bad” compared to Syria, adding Tel Aviv should target civilians in a future war with the country and send it “back to the Middle Ages.”

Read more: 

• Israel wants Lebanon ‘sent back to Middle Ages’

Israeli threats forced the Lebanese government to task Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil with preparing a report for the UN Security Council regarding a potential conflict.

Bassil was asked to prepare a “list of Israeli stances in media and a detailed letter to the Security Council to press the international community to uphold its responsibilities in the face of the intentional and public escalation [of the threat] to the region’s stability.”

Israel launched two wars on Lebanon in 2000 and 2006, through both of which the resistance fighter inflicted heavy losses on the regime’s military. About 1,200 Lebanese, most of them civilians, lost their lives during the 33-day war in the summer of 2006.

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