Hezbollah Says Israeli Military Exercises Are Preparation For New War On Lebanon

[Purveyor]

The Associated Press

BEIRUT, Lebanon: Israel's new military exercises are intended to prepare for a new war on Lebanon, the deputy leader of the militant Hezbollah group said Sunday.

Sheik Naim Kassem also warned that Hezbollah is fully ready to defend Lebanon if Israel attacks again.

--
Kassem's remarks came as Israel began a five-day home front security drill Sunday, simulating responses to war and other emergency situations, including a large-scale terror attack or natural catastrophe.

Israeli Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilnai said the drill was meant to help Israel apply lessons from its inconclusive 2006 war against Hezbollah guerrillas, during which the group fired hundreds of conventional rockets into Israel. But he and other Israeli officials denied the exercise was related to current friction along Israel's northern border with Syria and Lebanon.

"These drills are part of preparations for war because Israel is always in a warlike situation," Kassem told a rally south of Beirut. "These maneuvers are part of preparations for something in the future — probably it could be far off — but it is a preparation for war."

Kassem said the Israeli drills were also intended "to raise the collapsing morale of the people inside Israel following the defeat in the 2006 war."

---EOE---

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/04/06/africa/ME-GEN-Lebanon-Israel.php

[Fredda Weinberg]

1. Collapsing morale? That would be funny if it weren't so sad n/t