The Shiite jihadists of Hezbollah are rebuilding the group's infrastructure and personnel in Lebanon in violation of the terms of a ceasefire agreement, the Wall Street Journal reported Friday, citing sources familiar with Israeli and Arab intelligence.
The intelligence cited in the report attests to the restocking of rockets, antitank missiles and artillery by the Iranian proxy, which suffered a devastating defeat to Israel last year that left its capacities severely depleted. Some of the munitions are entering via seaports and smuggling routes through Syria, while others are manufactured by Hezbollah, it is understood.
The fear in Jerusalem and Washington, as well as among moderates in Lebanon, is that the rearmament is paving the way toward another war.Under the agreement that ended Israel's campaign, Lebanon is required to start disar ming Hezbollah, first in the south and then throughout the entire country. But the powerful group has resisted the apparently timid and half-hearted initiative by Lebanese authorities, claiming its weapons are needed to defend Lebanon’s sovereignty.
Israel has provided intelligence to help the weak and disjointed Lebanese army disarm the much more powerful terrorist group is losing patience, it is understood. Meanwhile, the IDF carried out upward 1,000 strikes of its own against Hezbollah since the ceasefire went into effect last November. The latest of these targeted Ibrahim Muhammad Raslan, an operative who was rebuilding the jihadist group's infrastructure in southern Lebanon. (Read More)
