JERUSALEM — Iran plans to take two Israeli soldiers abducted by
Hizbullah.
Israeli officials said Hizbullah intends to transfer the Israeli
soldiers captured on July 12 to Iran. They said the transfer would ensure
that Israel could not win the release of the soldiers through military
means.
"We also have specific information that Hizbullah is planning to
transfer the kidnapped soldiers to Iran," Foreign Minister deputy
director-general Gideon Meir told a briefing on Thursday.
Hours later, Iran denied that it wants the abducted Israeli soldiers, Middle East Newsline reported. An
Iranian spokesman said the Israeli charge indicated the panic of the Jewish
state.
Meir said Iran has been coordinating with Hizbullah and Syria in the
current crisis along the Israeli-Lebanese border. He said Iran provides
"funding, weapons, and directives" to Hizbullah.
Israel has assessed that at least one Israeli soldier abducted by
Hizbullah was transferred to Iran. The soldier was identified as Ron Arad,
an air navigator captured after he bailed out of his downed F-4 fighter-jet
over southern Lebanon in 1986.
Israel has already threatened to assassinate Hizbullah secretary-general
Hassan Nasrallah as well as other leaders of the organization. Officials
said Nasrallah and his senior aides would no longer be immune from Israeli
attack. At the same time, officials said the Cabinet appeared divided over
launching a ground force operation in Lebanon.
"Nasrallah wants to be the landlord of the Middle East," Foreign
Minister Tzipi Livni said. "It is us against Hizbullah, Iran and Syria."
