Israel warns Syria of massive attack if Hizbullah strikes

JERUSALEM — Israel has relayed warnings to Syria through both the United States and the European Union that a Hizbullah attack on the northern border would result in massive retaliation that would change the balance of power in the Middle East.

Israeli government sources said the warning was relayed over the last few weeks via countries that are friendly to Syria. These include the United States, France, Germany and Italy. Most of these governments, they said, supported Israel's right to launch a massive counterattack against Hizbullah.

"Some of the governments, particularly the United States, made it clear to Syria that it pulls the strings of Hizbullah," an Israeli source said. "In contrast, they played down Iran's role in Hizbullah operations."

The message, the sources said, was that Israel is holding Syria responsible for any Hizbullah attack on the Jewish state. As a result, Israel would target Syrian positions in Lebanon should the Shi'ite militia attack.

The warning said that Israeli retaliatory attacks would be massive and would alter the balance of power in the region. The sources said the wording was meant to convey the prospect of the destruction of the regime of President Bashar Assad.

On Wednesday, Assad is scheduled to arrive in Teheran on his first trip to the Islamic republic. Iran is Syria's strategic ally and has pledged to help Damascus in any war with Israel.

At the same time, Israel has increased security measures along the northern border. They have fired at suspected infiltrators, conducted air reconnaissance flights and sent up balloons with intelligence-gathering equipment along the border.

The warning appears to have worked for now, the sources said. They said Syria has restrained Hizbullah plans to abduct Israeli soldiers and civilians as well as shell military positions along the northern border.

Israeli sources said Hizbullah plans to imminently attack the Jewish state. They said they expect Syria to provide the green light at the opportune moment.

Last week, an envoy of French President Jacques Chirac urged Lebanon and Syria to restrain Hizbullah. Yves Aubin de la Messuziere, head of the French Foreign Ministry's Middle East and North African affairs, relayed a message from Chirac to Assad that urged all parties to practice restraint.

The sources said the Syrian military has been on the highest state of alert and that Damascus has moved its deployment of air defense systems and including surface-to-air missiles. But they said this did not increase chances of an imminent war.

On Tuesday, Syrian sources confirmed to the London-based Al Hayat daily that their military has been on alert. The sources said the United States has urged Syria to restrain Hizbullah as a first step to reduce tension and renew peace talks.

In another development, the London-based Al Quds Al Arabi daily reported on Tuesday that Iraq has withdrawn two of its divisions from near the Syrian border. Jordanian sources told the newspaper that the Iraqi deployment sparked concern in Israel and the United States and has led to counter-threats.

The sources said Iraqi President Saddam Hussein heeded an appeal from Jordan's King Abdullah and withdrew the Iraqi forces. But the Jordanian sources said Saddam stressed that he was not acting out of fear of Israel.