Hezbollah Calls Israeli Military Article on Iranian Missile Factories 'Nonsense and Provocative'

Hezbollah MP Haji Muhammad Raad responded to an article published on Sunday on Arabic-language media websites by the Israel military, which said Israel believes Iran has resumed building a missile factory in Lebanon.

• How Lebanon Managed to End Its Bloodiest Conflicts, While Israel Failed
• Hezbollah: Israel Behind Lebanon Attack That Targeted Hamas Official
• Netanyahu to Meet Putin: Iran Turning 'Lebanon Into Big Missile Site'

"The article is nonsense and provocative," Raad told the "continued dialogue" website. The article, which was written by Israel Defense Forces spokesman, Brig. Gen. Ronen Manelis, "is published only by someone who is a coward. Israel should not act foolishly and get itself in a war that will destroy them.

"Hezbollah is stronger today and is able to destroy the Israeli army. Israel today has become a regional and international isolationist, and the media spins this out of control in order to cover up Israel's distress, because it wants to present itself as strong," said Raad.

Raad added that "the Zionist entity, despite all its efforts, could not convince the Arab and Muslim people to give up the struggle against it. A day will come when the Hezbollah flag would fly over Al Quds and the Palestinians would get their land back."

In the article, the IDF spokesman wrote: "Through the actions and inaction of the Lebanese authorities, Lebanon is turning into one big missile factory while much of the international community looks the other way. It's no longer about transfers of arms, money or advice. De facto, Iran has opened a new branch, the Lebanon branch -- Iran is here... Iran and Hezbollah are currently trying to build a precision missile factory."

With Iran's support, Manelis wrote, Hezbollah is building "terrorist infrastructure and plants to make arms under the nose of the Lebanese government."