(Wall Street Journal) Nicholas Blanford - Many analysts believe that Iran could direct Hizbullah to unleash its military might against Israel, pummeling it with thousands of long-range rockets, placing the Jewish state's heartland on the frontline for the first time since 1948. The two sides have been making feverish preparations for another encounter, one that neither Hizbullah nor Israel wants but that both believe is probably inevitable. The rate of recruitment into Hizbullah's ranks has soared and some receive advanced training in Iran. Military instruction is interspersed with religious lessons, teaching the importance of jihad, martyrdom and obedience to Hizbullah's religious figurehead, Ayatollah Ali Khameini, the supreme leader of Iran. Hizbullah has evolved into the most formidable nonstate military force in the world. It has amassed as many as 50,000 rockets, including guided missiles that can strike targets in Tel Aviv, and Hizbullah fighters are being trained to cross the border into Israel in the next war.
2011-11-24 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive