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Last update - 10:37 27/04/2008
Report: Hezbollah man says new attack on Israel is question of 'when, not if'
By Haaretz Service
Tags: Iran, Israel, Syria 

Two years after the Second Lebanon War, the Iranian-backed Hezbollah organization has bolstered its recruitment efforts at an unprecedented rate in preparation for a fresh war with Israel, The Guardian reported Sunday.

The report quoted an unnamed Hezbollah fighter as saying: "It's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah [Hezbollah chief] commands us" to attack.

According to the report, the Islamist group has of late been sending "hundreds, if not thousands" of recruits to training camps in Lebanon, Syria and Iran in ancticipation of conflict with Israel.
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"The villages in the south are empty of men," an international official was quoted as saying. "They are all gone, training in Bekaa, Syria and Iran."

Israel and the Hezbollah fought a 34-day war in the summer of 2006, sparked by the militant group's cross-border raid and abduction of two Israel Defense Forces reservists.

During the conflict, Hezbollah launched some 4,000 rockets at northern Israel and was said to have thousands more in its reserves. The numbers of casualties on both sides have been disputed, particularly in terms of the Islamist group's loss of manpower.

Meanwhile, the UN reported last month that Hezbollah is rearming and has an arsenal including 10,000 long-range rockets and 20,000 short-range rockets in southern Lebanon.

A resurgence of Hezbollah fighters has been encountered recently in southern Lebanon, despite an international ban on the Islamist group's presence in the contentious area.

Hezbollah militants warded off members of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) last month when the peacekeepers discovered a truck carrying weapons and ammunition belonging to the Lebanon-based guerilla group.

The incident was the first time that UNIFIL forces were confronted by armed Hezbollah men south of Lebanon's Litani River, an area which Security Council resolution 1701 prohibits Hezbollah from entering.

Israel has expressed dissatisfaction with the way resolution is being implemented, particularly in the way Hezbollah has been permitted to reinforce its position south of the Litani and to continue smuggling weapons from Syria and Iran.

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      1.   A bad joke 10:53  |  Yonatan 27/04/08
      2.   Olmert Follies 11:09  |  Ron 27/04/08
      3.   And the whole world will blame Israel for killing civillians 11:18  |  S 27/04/08
      4.   Arrogant Hezbollah. 11:35  |  Vital 27/04/08
      5.   hezbo 11:37  |  Sami 27/04/08
      6.   Dark ages 12:10  |  Eldar 27/04/08
      7.   Hezbollah 12:21  |  Sens 27/04/08
      8.   The same reports also say 13:03  |  Chris Linthwaite 27/04/08
      9.   Renewed Conflict 13:13  |  Yakov 27/04/08
      10.   Chris Linthwaite, are you really that dumb? 13:18  |  Joe Sittizen 27/04/08
      11.   to #8 Chris 13:26  |  Marcelo 27/04/08
      12.   # 3 S. What`s the beef? Israel killed 1500 civilians. 13:28  |  Nick Ferriman 27/04/08
      13.   # 6 Eldar 13:37  |  Nick Ferriman 27/04/08
      14.   nick ferriman come and fight us here 13:48  |  harzion 27/04/08
      15.   3 S,the world has not forgottern israel`s rampage in Lebanon in 13:51  |  lakshmi 27/04/08
      16.   to #13 Thai 13:52  |  Marcelo 27/04/08
      17.   #10 Joe Sittizen 13:54  |  Chris Linthwaite 27/04/08
      18.   FERRIMAN Lebanon started a war by bombing Israeli civillians 14:03  |  PETER SM 27/04/08
      19.   #11 Marcelo 14:11  |  Chris Linthwaite 27/04/08
      20.   LINTHWAITE where does this article attach the conditions 14:13  |  PETER SM 27/04/08
      21.   Chris Linthwaite 14:24  |  rich 27/04/08
      22.   15#lakshmi curry`s favour with pakistan 14:50  |  Alon The Israeli 27/04/08
      23.   #20 Peter SM 14:52  |  Chris Linthwaite 27/04/08
      24.   Hezzie beats the war drums to Lakshmis bollywood lounge act. 14:52  |  Alon The Israeli 27/04/08
      25.   Hezzie beats the war drums to Lakshmis bollywood lounge act. 14:52  |  Alon The Israeli 27/04/08
      26.   Israel will be in a worse position strategically with truce in Gz 14:53  |  r 27/04/08
      27.   # 18 Peter SM 15:00  |  Nick Ferriman 27/04/08
      28.   #21 Rich 15:00  |  Chris Linthwaite 27/04/08
      29.   linthwaite you will be surprised 15:08  |  Mr Ipp 27/04/08
      30.   # 14 Harzion 15:10  |  Nick Ferriman 27/04/08
      31.   A brutal rematch is in the offing 15:17  |  Natallie Durson 27/04/08
      32.   it is so sad if your football team is loosing again and again 15:22  |  Vogel 27/04/08
      33.   # 16 Marcelo. Definition of Palestine 15:23  |  Nick Ferriman 27/04/08
      34.   TO NO 4 15:30  |  DANNY. 27/04/08
      35.   #15 lakshmi...common sense would say 15:35  |  Lynn 27/04/08
      36.   TO NO 6. ELDAR. 15:37  |  DANNY. 27/04/08
      37.   Concerned and Indignant 15:42  |  Mr Ipp 27/04/08
      38.   What Hezbollah attacking will mean 15:51  |  Ronnie Wolman 27/04/08
      39.   TO NO 18 PETER SM.MELBOURNE. 15:53  |  DANNY. 27/04/08
      40.   TO NO 21 RICH. 15:56  |  DANNY. 27/04/08
      41.   # 14 Horizon--if you IDF has guts then fight 15:58  |  Bobby 27/04/08
      42.   harzion to Nick Ferriman -settle down old man 16:04  |  zimri 27/04/08
      43.   lebanese: be careful. The new war initiated by HEZZI will bring 16:05  |  Vittorio 27/04/08
      44.   madam wanker lakshmi is back 16:08  |  dimple kapadia 27/04/08
      45.   #16, here is your answer 16:13  |  Jared 27/04/08
      46.   Lebanon is creating a suicide pact with itself. 16:23  |  R 27/04/08
      47.   gabi ashkenazi 16:30  |  menasseh 27/04/08
      48.   You israelis, understand nothing.... 16:35  |  Mezhad 27/04/08
      49.   #8 - Linthwaite 16:35  |  JES 27/04/08
      50.   Inference of the last war in Lebanon. 16:40  |  Jean Van Daem 27/04/08
      51.   Fix the News 16:45  |  Jack Paulden 27/04/08
      52.   gabi ashkenazi may i suggest this 16:47  |  menasseh 27/04/08
      53.   #45 - Where do you get your "facts" 16:48  |  JES 27/04/08
      54.   Does Lebanon Have Any Say In This? 17:01  |  Bill Foonman 27/04/08
      55.   DANNY 17:03  |  PETER SM 27/04/08
      56.   #8 Linthwaite - So, in your view 17:06  |  * BEN JABO 27/04/08
      57.   burn the earth in south lebanon 17:09  |  neutron simplicity 27/04/08
      58.   #48 Mezhad - As it is said 17:09  |  * BEN JABO 27/04/08
      59.   FERRIMAN Because your friends thousands of missiles dont all kill 17:10  |  PETER SM 27/04/08
      60.   Dear #9 & 11 17:15  |  Ya Ghareeb 27/04/08
      61.   FERRIMAN twisted apologia.That thousands of missiles 17:23  |  PETER SM 27/04/08
      62.   To Mr. Ferriman 17:31  |  Wolf 27/04/08
      63.   #56 Ben Jabo 17:32  |  Chris Linthwaite 27/04/08
      64.   #53 JES 17:40  |  Jared 27/04/08
      65.   # 44 Stupid Dimple--This forum is not for the 17:45  |  Bobby 27/04/08
      66.   Ferriman Follies - Part 1 17:45  |  Elias 27/04/08
      67.   To all who said we should take the offer of Hammas, 17:46  |  Gil 27/04/08
      68.   Ferriman Follies - Part 2 17:46  |  Elias 27/04/08
      69.   To all who said we should take the offer of Hammas, 17:46  |  Gil 27/04/08
      70.   thousands of new recruits? 17:49  |  yosssel 27/04/08
      71.   #63 Linthwaite - I`ll make it crystal clear 17:51  |  * BEN JABO 27/04/08
      72.   #63 Chris Linthwaite 17:58  |  Cy 27/04/08