The Iranian-sponsored Hizbullah is
planning for war with Israel, a report said.
The
Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs asserted that Hizbullah
secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah, in coordination with Teheran, has
been meeting senior commanders to plan
for war with the Jewish state. The center, in a
report by Shimon Shapira, said Nasrallah
has
ordered his commanders to prepare for long-range missile attacks that
would target Tel Aviv and other major Israeli cities.
"Nasrallah's recent escalation of public statements
stems from heightened fear in Hizbullah that an
Israeli and/or American attack on Iran is drawing nearer," the
report said.
"As a strategic arm of Iran, Hizbullah sees itself as Iran's first line
of defense against Israel."
"Hizbullah forces are being trained to fire at
least 10,000 missiles, right at the war's outset, at military and
strategic targets such as airfields, military camps, and vital
facilities including maritime ones, followed by the firing of rockets
from launch sites whose location will come as a surprise to Israel,"
the report, titled
"Hizbullah Discusses Its Operational Plan for War with Israel,"
said.
The report, released
on Nov. 2 and based on open Arab sources, said Nasrallah
has also ordered a ground force invasion of northern Israel.
Hizbullah, with at least 20,000 fighters, was said to be planning to
deploy 5,000 special forces troops trained in Iran to capture Israel's
Galilee region.
Hizbullah's
engineering units were also said to have reinforced positions in Maydon
in the western Bekaa. The report said Hizbullah
has
formed five brigades, with each consisting of 1,000 troops, to invade
Israel.
