Israeli army: Qassem's decision to link his fate to Iran a strategic mistake
An Israeli military source stressed Thursday that the Israeli army “will not allow Hezbollah to possess weapons inside Lebanon,” adding that “the Lebanese government is trying to dismantle Hezbollah but its effectiveness is weak.”
Hezbollah chief Sheikh “Naim Qassem's decision last week to link his fate to Iran was a strategic mistake,” the source told Al-Arabiya’s Al-Hadath channel, referring to Qassem’s latest remarks about the possibility of supporting Iran militarily in the event of a new war.
“Hezbollah's missile capabilities have been significantly damaged, but not eliminated,” the Israeli source added, noting that the Israeli army is “continuously weakening Hezbollah.”
“Hezbollah is insisting on holding onto its weapons, and that is the problem,” the source said.
Noting that “Hezbollah is trying to rebuild itself, while the Amal Movement is not,” the Israeli source pointed out that “the Amal Movement is not being attacked because it is not conducting military activity.”
“We are aware of friction between Hezbollah and the Amal Movement in the Tyre area of southern Lebanon,” the source added.
Lamenting that “Hezbollah is trying to maintain its weapons as long as the (Lebanese) army does not impose its control,” the Israeli source alleged the presence of “covert Hezbollah activities on the front line.”
“We will not allow the return of the Hezbollah threat to our borders,” the source stressed, claiming that “Hezbollah is trying to build an infrastructure to restore its fighting capabilities.”
“Hezbollah is preparing for a future military confrontation (and) … is trying to rebuild itself under the guise of helping the residents of southern Lebanon,” the Israeli military source added.
The source also claimed that a "major event" linked to “Hezbollah's liaison operatives” is taking place within villages in southern Lebanon, alleging that “Hezbollah is working to rebuild various systems within the villages of southern Lebanon.”
