The Drums of war are beating : Hezbollah versus Israel | Elijah J M

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  • Selon Sputnik, citant as-Safir, le Hezbollah se préparerait activement à un nouveau conflit avec Israël
    http://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20160529/1040428723/hezbollah-israel-conflict-escalation.html

    MOSCOW (Sputnik) — According to Lebanese daily As-Safir, Hezbollah was placing its rocket arsenal along the northern border with Israel and tracking the movements of the Israeli army.
    Adnan Badreddine, brother of top Hezbollah commander Mustafa Badreddine, grieves at his brother’s picture in a southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon
    The newspaper reported that the group was building several “sophisticated” tunnels on the border with Israel following the example of the Palestinian Islamic movement Hamas, which had reportedly built several tunnels between the Gaza Strip and Israel.

    Le dernier article d’Elijah Magnier dans al-Raï note également les préparatifs du Hezbollah dont la direction semble penser, dans le contexte de la nomination de Liebermann à la Défense, qu’une agression israélienne dans un avenir proche est très probable : multiplication des exercices côté israélien, perception israélienne d’un Hezbollah affaibli par son implication en Syrie (malgré l’expérience acquise), tensions exploitables au Liban, soutien tacite des pays du Golfe à une attaque israélienne ... :
    L’original en arabe ici : http://www.alraimedia.com/ar/article/special-reports/2016/05/27/682645/nr/lebanon
    Traduction en anglais là : https://elijahjm.wordpress.com/2016/05/31/the-drums-of-war-are-beating-hezbollah-versus-israel

    Every time a political solution seems imminent in Syria, and the warring factions adhere to the ceasefire imposed by Russia and the US, the drums of war are heard along Lebanon’s southern border.

    Along these borders, preparations for the war are on-going. Hezbollah believes that it is directed against them “given that the region has been set against Hezbollah, having been branded as a terrorist organization by the GCC countries and the majority of western countries”.

    Sources on the ground say “ Hezbollah is preparing for the next war with Israel that the latter may impose along the Israeli-Lebanese borders. The present Israeli government is packed with warmongers and its Secretary of Defence Lieberman will rely on the Israeli army to raise the levels of tension and not just along the borders. But he may well provoke a response from Hezbollah that will send the situation over the edge”.

    Sources add, “Israel is carefully assessing Hezbollah’s increasing development and experience gained from its participation in the Syrian war. Israeli leaders maybe asking themselves: up to what point shall they allow Hezbollah to expand? Israeli society is one where, confronting the dangers along its borders, war is a primary focus. Right now, this puts Hezbollah in the spotlight”.

    According to sources on the ground “Israel believes that Hezbollah is exhausted from the long war in Syria, where a number of its high profile leaders were killed, and where their forces were drained. Moreover, Israel believes its own forces can take adequate and efficient measures (when the war starts) to intercept Hezbollah’s missiles through its Iron Dome and other intercept advanced systems. Israeli soldiers run constant war drills simulating different war scenarios. The objects of these drills are multiple: boosting morale, enhancing military and technological capabilities and prepare the population for a forthcoming war. In addition, regional countries like Saudi Arabia encourage and support strikes against Hezbollah (considered a terrorist organisation by many Gulf countries). Hezbollah’s effective participation in the war in Syria and Iraq is propagandised as a sectarian campaign and its militants are accused of “committing genocide against the Sunnis”. Moreover, Hezbollah is also portrayed as a hegemonic force in Lebanon, confiscating the political and military decisions of the country. This is why Israel is enthusiastic about a war, especially as Prime Minister Netanyahu – accused of cowardice – has not yet waged a war against Hezbollah”.