Hizbullah claims an arsenal of more than 20,000 rockets in
Lebanon.
Hizbullah secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah said his Iranian-sponsored
militia has deployed more than 20,000 rockets in southern Lebanon.
Nasrallah, in his first appearance since the 34-day war with Israel ended on
Aug. 14, did not identify the rockets, Middle East Newsline reported.
"Today we celebrate a great divine, historic and strategic victory,"
Nasrallah said during a so-called victory rally on Sept. 22.
Nasrallah's assertion marked the highest number of rockets claimed by
Hizbullah. In July, the Hizbullah chief said his organization had more than
12,000 rockets.
During the war, Israel assessed that it destroyed at least one-third of
Hizbullah's rocket arsenal, comprised mostly of 122 mm Katyusha short-range
rockets. Israeli intelligence asserted that Hizbullah's entire medium- and
long-range rocket arsenal was destroyed.
But Nasrallah said Hizbullah has retained its rocket arsenal in southern
Lebanon. He said some of those weapons were located along the northern
Israeli border with Lebanon.
"He says they have 20,000 rockets; we should believe him," Israeli
Infrastructure Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer said on Monday. "We should
prepare the army."
Nasrallah said Hizbullah was willing to exchange two Israeli soldiers
abducted on July 12 for an unspecified number of Lebanese prisoners. He did
not say whether negotiations have taken place with Israel.
