According to a report published this week by the New York Times, Lebanese terror group Hezbollah has moved military positions and 100,000 rockets into villages in southern Lebanon.
The report states that maps and aerial photography provided by Israeli security officials illustrate that Hezbollah has moved most of its military infrastructure into the Shiite villages of southern Lebanon and around their perimeters. Israeli officials warn that this amounts to the organisation using Lebanese civilians as a human shield.
Aerial photography reveals that the border village of Muhaybib contains nine arms depots, five rocket-launching site, four infantry positions, signs of three underground tunnels, three anti-tank positions, and in the very centre of the village, a Hezbollah command post.
A few miles northwest, in the larger village of Shaqra, Israel’s military has identified about 400 military sites and facilities belonging to Hezbollah.
Israeli officials warn that in the event of a future conflict with Hezbollah, there would likely be many civilian casualties due to the positioning of the 100,000 rockets.
Israeli military officials and experts have asserted that Hezbollah has significantly built up its firepower since its month-long war against Israel in 2006 – increasing it tenfold to possess around 100,000 rockets and missiles. According to military intelligence, the arsenal includes thousands of medium-range missiles that could reach Tel Aviv, and hundreds that could reach any part of Israel.
Hezbollah is currently deeply engaged in supporting President Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria, providing thousands of fighters, of which an estimated 600 have been killed.
