Tel Aviv: A top Israeli military leader has issued a stern warning to the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, saying any future war between the two enemies will unleash “devastating” damage on Lebanon.
Major General Yair Golan, Israel’s deputy chief of staff, told international journalists on Wednesday that Hezbollah had developed capabilities that present “unprecedented” threats to Israel, reported Aljazeera.
Israel estimates the group has over 100,000 rockets and missiles in its arsenal.
Golan said any future war will be “much harsher” than anything experienced in the past 20 years, and Israel will unleash all of its military capabilities.
“In any future crisis, they are not going to see a small war in Lebanon. It’s going to be decisive. It’s going to be full-scale war,” he said.
“That could create devastating damage to Lebanon,” including in civilian areas, where he said Hezbollah hides and operates. “There is no other way to take out this threat without … creating large damage to the Lebanese infrastructure, to Lebanese houses and other civilian facilities.”
Israel and Hezbollah fought a monthlong war in the summer of 2006 that ended in a stalemate. The fighting left more than 1,100 Lebanese and 159 Israelis killed.
The conflict, the last between the two sides, lasted for more than a month.