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Arab/Muslim States

War-of words for now-escalates between Israel and Hizb'allah


By Stan Goodenough
October 06, 2008

Tensions between Israel and the Lebanese terror group Hizb'allah, always on the ebb and flow, have begun to heat up again recently, with both sides messaging each other of dire consequences in the event of another war between them.

In the event of another conflict (the last was the Second Lebanon War in the summer of 2005) Israel will be ready to unleash a massive bombardment of areas under Hizb'allah's control, including residential areas used by the group.

Instead of pursuing mobile Hizb'allah missile units across southern Lebanon, the IDF will opt to punish the country itself and target population centers that provide cover and aid to the terrorists.

Speaking to the Israeli mass-circulation daily Yediot Ahronoth last weekend, the chief of the IDF's Northern Command, Gen. Gadi Eisenkot, warned Israelis not to be fooled by the relative quiet in the north.

War could erupt again, and if it does, Israel is ready to "wield disproportionate power against every village from which shots are fired on Israel, and cause immense damage and destruction," he said.

Warfare like that would be aimed at not only vanquishing Hizb'allah but also sending an unequivocal message of deterrence against both the Lebanese and the neighboring Syrian regimes.

Hizb'allah scoffed at the threat, letting it be known Monday that "a big surprise" awaited Israel if it tangled again with the group.

"What do they imagine Hizb'allah's reaction will be? They actually say it has 40,000 missiles... Are they preparing for things that they have not considered and that others have not considered?" asked Ibrahim al-Amin, the editor of the Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar described as "a senior Hizb'allah-linked journalist."

"Who said that Hizballah does not think about all of the options which the enemy will use, including those which have been mentioned recently."

Not only a Hizb'allah rocket storm, but also international outrage directed against Israel is likely should Israel's forces employ "disproportionate power."

Even Israeli surgical strikes on terrorists frequently trigger waves of condemnation from the international community.

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