The US is deeply concerned by reports of a Hezbollah missile attack targeting its intelligence agency Israelbut continues to believe that a diplomatic solution could lead to a decrease in tensions on the Lebanese-Israeli border, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said today.
“Deeply concerned,” Kirby said in an interview with CNN. “Further evidence … that Israel faces a legitimate threat from an Iranian-backed terrorist organization.”
The U.S. continues to support Israel’s right to defend itself, he said. “No state should be forced to live with these threats from across the border, right next door.”
1,500 Hezbollah fighters blinded or maimed after bomb blasts
Out of the battle – maimed or blinded – 1,500 Hezbollah fighters deployed after the Israeli attack on the bombers, according to sources who spoke to Reuters.
However, while this is a major blow, it represents only a small fraction of Hezbollah’s strength, which, according to a recent congressional report, numbers 40,000-50,000 fighters. With the leader himself (Nasrallah) putting the number at 100,000.
Since October, when Hezbollah began firing on Israel in support of Hamas in Gaza, it has redeployed fighters to frontline areas in the south, including some from Syria, the three sources said.
It is also loading rockets into Lebanon at a rapid pace in anticipation of a prolonged conflict, the same sources told Reuters.
Many of their weapons are Iranian, Russian or Chinese models.