Lebanon’s security chief dismisses Israeli tunnel claims as ‘an illusory victory’
Cross-border tunnels that Israel claims have been dug by Hezbollah are years old, Lebanon’s General Security chief said.
Abbas Ibrahim told the service’s magazine, which was published yesterday, that Israel publicised the discovery of the underground passageways only recently “to achieve an illusory victory”.
Israel said it has found five tunnels from different parts of Lebanon since an operation to destroy the entire network began on December 4.
UN peacekeepers stationed along the border have confirmed the existence of most of the tunnels but did not verify whether they were dug by Hezbollah. Mr Ibrahim did not name which group was responsible either.
Israel says Hezbollah planned to use the tunnels for an attack in a future conflict and called the passageways a breach of the UN resolution that ended the 2006 war between the countries.
Israel’s campaign to destroy the tunnels has caused tension in border areas but Mr Ibrahim said a new conflict between the two states was unlikely.
“We don’t want a war but we are ready for one,” the General Security chief said. “Israel wants one but is not ready for it and does not have the capacity to launch one.”
Mr Ibrahim is widely considered in Lebanon as a supporter of Hezbollah.
Israel’s army last month estimated that only a few weeks remain in its operation to find and destroy the passageways, at least two of which have been collapsed.
A UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon expressed serious concern over the discovery of the tunnels and urged Lebanese officials to take action to resolve the issue.
Hezbollah has not responded to Israel’s discovery officially but the group’s deputy leader, Naim Qassem, said last month that Hezbollah rockets could strike any position in Israel. The comments came days after Israel announced its operation.
Tunnels are not new to Hezbollah. The party has used them to store weapons and protect personnel since the mid-1990s, when it was fighting against Israel’s invasion of south Lebanon.
Hezbollah’s Resistance Museum – located about 35 kilometres from Israel in the town of Mleeta – includes an original, 200-metre tunnel and bunker system, with sleeping areas and prayer rooms, used by its fighters at the time.
Dug during the insurgency against Israeli occupation that ended with Tel Aviv retreating in 2000, the tunnel was undiscovered for years and used again during the 2006 war.
Hezbollah used tunnels to store weapons and protect personnel when it was fighting against Israel’s invasion