Israel has warned the Lebanese government via the United States and France to find a way to prevent the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia group from manufacturing precision-guided missiles.
Israel has said it will strike Hezbollah in Lebanese territory if it does not cease its production of the missiles, according to a report published Saturday by The Wall Street Journal.
IDF analysts estimate that Hezbollah currently possesses approximately 130,000 missiles in its arsenal, most of which are short to medium-range Grad Katyushas, incapable of specific targeting. However, the Shiite militia does also have several dozen precision-guided missiles as well, in addition to at least 20,000 to 30,000 long-range missiles capable of reaching anywhere in the Jewish State.
The technology and supplies provided by Iran could upgrade current Hezbollah missiles into precision-guided projectiles capable of zeroing in on specific Israeli targets anywhere in the country, IDF officials say.
U.S., Israeli and other intelligence sources told the news outlet that American and French officials were asked to deliver warnings to Beirut over the past month, as the Israeli government announced the discovery of cross-border attack tunnels penetrating into Israeli territory from Lebanon, dug by Hezbollah.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met last week with foreign ambassadors to Israel at the spot where one of the tunnels was exposed on the Israeli side of the border. He told the ambassadors that Israel is “systematically and decisively denying our enemies the tunnels weapon. We are doing this with Hamas, and with Hezbollah; we will do whatever is necessary.
“Whoever attacks us – is taking his life into his hands. Hezbollah knows this and so does Hamas.”