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Last update - 23:04 18/02/2008 Sources: Israel deploys Patriot missiles fearing Hezbollah strike By News Agencies Tags: Israel, Syria, Hezbollah  Israel has deployed a battery of U.S.-made Patriot air defense missiles near the northern port city of Haifa as part of precautions against a possible attack by Hezbollah in response to the assassination last week of the group's top commander Imad Mughniyah, Israeli security officials said Monday. The officials said the battery was put on standby Sunday for the first time since Israel's month-long war with Hezbollah in the summer of 2006, when the Lebanese guerrillas fired nearly 4,000 rockets into northern Israel. Patriot batteries were first deployed in Israel during the 1991 Gulf War, but they failed to stop most of the 39 Scud missiles launched by Saddam Hussein's Iraq. Advertisement They were originally designed to intercept aircraft, and Israeli media reported their role in the current situation would be to shoot down bomb-laden pilotless planes as well as rockets. The Israel Defense Forces said it was not its policy to comment on what a spokesman called operational readiness. Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Sunday he anticipated Hezbollah would try to retaliate for the assassination, possibly with help from Syria and Iran, and added that Israel was prepared on all fronts for an attack. Hezbollah and its Iranian backers swiftly blamed Israel for last week's assassination of Hezbollah second-in-command, Mughniyeh, in Damascus. Israel has denied involvement, but is widely believed to have carried out similarly daring, complex and deadly strikes against other terror masterminds in the past. Following the Mughniyeh assassination, Hezbollah vowed to hit Jewish targets outside Israel in retaliation. Meanwhile, the head of Iran's Revolutionary Guards said on Monday Israel would soon be destroyed by the "hands of Hezbollah", the Lebanese guerilla group backed by the Islamic Republic, Fars News Agency reported. On Sunday, the Hezbollah head of the southern Lebanon region Sheikh Nabil Kauk said "It won't be long before the conceited Zionists realize that Imad Mughniyah's blood is extremely costly." Related articles: Iran commander: Hezbollah will destroy 'cancerous germ' Israel Syria: We condemn Mughniyah killing as a cowardly terrorist act Bookmark to del.icio.us   Artistic justice Israel Museum to exhibit art looted by Nazis and unclaimed. Let in snow For second time this winter, Jerusalem braces for snow.   1.   More IDF soldiers for Hezbollah to Kidnap.. 23:04  |  POP 18/02/08   2.   Acting impotently in north and south 23:05  |  Hitt Outt 18/02/08   3.   How about a Patroit battery in the Northern Galilee?? 23:19  |  Claudia 18/02/08   4.   should go at it 23:27  |  whatever 18/02/08   5.   no fear at all. eu, us, israel will soon vapourise hissy, iran 23:40  |  frenz 18/02/08   6.   Time to liberate Lebanon from Hezbollah-Syria-Iran occupation 23:44  |  Marwan مروان خوري 18/02/08   7.   Judeophobia and anti-semitism 23:46  |  akiva (zionist) 18/02/08   8.   Hezbollah "fighters" taking positions behind women and children 00:01  |  Marwan مروان خوري 19/02/08   9.   If Hezbollah wants war they`ll get it and they`ll 00:02  |  Marwan مروان خوري 19/02/08   10.   Hezbollah`s plans to attack civilian targets once again 00:05  |  Marwan مروان خوري 19/02/08   11.   Kauk said "It won`t be long...:" 01:19  |  akiva (zionist) 19/02/08   12.   Realization 01:25  |  Paul 19/02/08   13.   Hitt Outt 01:25  |  akiva (zionist) 19/02/08   14.   Israel Always Responded To Threats Before They Were Carried Out 01:27  |  Eli 19/02/08   15.   Hitt out 01:27  |  Paul 19/02/08   16.   hitt out 01:34  |  paul 19/02/08   17.   its not patriot missles they should be deploying... 01:39  |  Igor D. 19/02/08   18.   Israel needs a new PM Olmert& Barak are the worst 01:45  |  Kipperraes 19/02/08   19.   It never worked in the first place. 21:46  |  Willis 19/02/08

Today Online Livni: Halting peace talks with Palestinians will not end terror Responses: 134 Lebanon tense amid specter of fresh Israel-Hezbollah fighting Responses: 139 German intellectuals: Israel's creation made Palestinians victims of the Nazi Holocaust Responses: 201 Meron Benvenisti: The demographic bomb is 1-2 years away Responses: 59 Yoel Marcus: Better to keep tabs on terrorists than to kill them Responses: 34 Rosner's Domain New Guests: Orthodox women want a "seat at the table" Gaza: The Problem Nobody Wants Poll: Is it important to have an Israeli-Palestinian agreement by the end of 2008? Most blatant example of Israeli interference in American election The row over Obama's stance on Israel is a dispute between Jews More Headlines 22:18 PM meets Abbas, but Jerusalem not on agenda 21:32 Palestinians: 10-year-old Gaza boy killed in Hamas-IDF crossfire 22:19 Report: IDF general dodged U.K. arrest as police feared shootout 21:39 IDF: Reinforcing private homes in Sderot is our last priority 21:41 ANALYSIS: Sarkozy's Holocaust education plan baffles Jews 21:47 Egyptian officials meet with Hamas on Gaza-Egypt border security 22:02 Siniora: Failure to solve Lebanon crisis undermines Arab Summit 21:53 Driver responsible for 3 deaths receives only 3-year prison term 14:47 Islamic Jihad, Palestinian rights groups at odds over deadly Gaza blast 21:44 Lawyer jailed for fraud in dealing with Jews' pensions in Germany 16:35 Pakistan's pro-Musharraf party concedes defeat in elections 21:38 Widow suspected of faking cancer to receive donations Previous Editions Select Day 18 feb 17 feb 15 feb 14 feb 13 feb 12 feb 11 feb 10 feb 08 feb 07 feb 06 feb 05 feb

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