The Hizbullah effort was deemed a violation of the United Nations
Security Council-arranged ceasefire that ended the Lebanon war in 2006.
Under the council resolution, Hizbullah was banned from maintaining a
presence south of Lebanon's Litani River.
The Hizbullah weapons were said to include air defense systems, such as
the SA-8 and SA-18. The sources said Hizbullah has also stockpiled rockets
with a range of more than 200 kilometers.
Over the last year, the sources said, Hizbullah has been smuggling
rockets, rocket-propelled grenades, assault rifles and other weapons into
villages near the Israeli border. They said Hizbullah, which deployed both
fulltime and reserve units, began operations in Shi'ite villages and moved
to Christian and Sunni communities.
Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Hizbullah has accumulated more
than 40,000 missiles and rockets. Barak said he expected Hizbullah to use
these weapons in any conflict with Israel.
"If there is a conflict on our northern border, we will use all
necessary force," Barak said.
The Hizbullah effort in Sunni villages has been quietly discouraged by
the government in Beirut. In mid-August, residents of Marwahin fought
Hizbullah operatives who tried to bring weapons into the village, about two
kilometers from the Israeli border community of Zirit.
The Israel Army, which closely monitors the border with ground and air
surveillance, photographed a gun battle between Hizbullah and Sunni
villagers. Lebanese Army troops were summoned and stopped the fighting.
In the Israel Army video, released on Aug. 25, Marwahin residents were
seen attacking Hizbullah operatives, who fled to an unmarked vehicle.
Lebanese
soldiers blocked the Sunni residents from reaching the Hizbullah sport
utility vehicle.
Military sources said the clash was a rare demonstration of opposition
by Lebanese to the Hizbullah deployment near the Israeli border. They said
in most cases Hizbullah efforts to purchase or rent homes in border villages
did not encounter resistance.
"It is clear that Hizbullah wants to return the Israeli-Lebanese border
to the same state that existed on the eve of the [2006] war," the source
said. "The difference is we are more aware of their activities."
