'Nasrallah predicts Israel-Hezbollah war before next spring'

Israel will attack Hezbollah strongholds in southern Lebanon sometime before next spring, the Shi'ite guerilla group's leader is quoted as saying over the weekend.

Hezbollah secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah told Lebanese media his organization will launch missiles at Tel Aviv if Israel attacks the Shi'ite group's positions in Lebanon.

Monday editions of the Beirut-based newspapers Al-Akhbar and As-Safir said the Hezbollah chief made the statements during a meeting with a group of Lebanese exiles over the weekend.

During the meeting, Nasrallah predicted that Israel would initiate hostilities against Hezbollah "sometime between the end of this year and next spring."