Soliti provocatori

BEIRUT: The spokeswoman of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) dismissed on Friday a report carried by an Israeli newspaper that UN peacekeepers found around 20 Katyusha rockets that were ready for launch in south Lebanon. "The news report is inaccurate," Yasmina Bouziane said on Friday, adding that if the news had been correct, the UN will be "immediately notified through the appropriate channels."

Israel's The Jerusalem Post reported on Friday that UN peacekeepers have found around 20 Katyusha rockets that were ready for launch in southern Lebanon.

The newspaper said that UNIFIL has increased its operations in southern Lebanon and begun entering villages in search of Hizbullah weapons caches in an effort to prevent a flare-up along the border with Israel.

According to the Israeli Army, Hizbullah has deployed most of its forces and weaponry - including Katyusha rockets - inside homes in southern villages.

The Jerusalem Post added that UNIFIL has "recently succeeded in thwarting attacks that were planned against its own personnel."

UNIFIL's increased activity comes amid concerns in Israel that Hizbullah will launch an attack along the border to avenge the assassination of its military commander Imad Mughniyeh in a Damascus car bombing last year.

The newspaper quoted sources as saying that Hizbullah was behind a thwarted attempt earlier this year to attack the Israeli Embassy in Azerbaijan.

According to the daily, the group has also tried using Palestinian proxies for attacks within Israel, "without success."

"These frustrations, Israel fears, might lead the group to try a retaliatory attack against the northern border, which would be easier operationally," The Post said.

On Thursday, Lebanon's state-run National News Agency reported that the Israeli Army stepped up its presence along the border with Lebanon deploying armored tanks and setting up fortifications as it intensified airspace violations in the area.

In "unusual military activity," the Israeli Army deployed Merkava tanks separating the  Shebaa Farms from liberated Lebanese territories, the NNA said.

Source >  The Daily Star | Jun 27

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