Hezbollah Video Appears to Show its Tunnels, Missiles

Hezbollah members carry flags during the funeral of a fellow fighter. (Reuters)
Hezbollah members carry flags during the funeral of a fellow fighter. (Reuters)
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Hezbollah Video Appears to Show its Tunnels, Missiles

Hezbollah members carry flags during the funeral of a fellow fighter. (Reuters)
Hezbollah members carry flags during the funeral of a fellow fighter. (Reuters)

Lebanon's Hezbollah on Friday released a video showing what appeared to be underground tunnels and large missile launchers, amid fears of all-out war between the Iran-backed group and Israel.

The polished, four-and-a-half minute video shows what appear to be Hezbollah operatives moving through wide, illuminated tunnels hewn into rock, with motorbikes and other vehicles, including a convoy of trucks.

Some trucks appear to be transporting missiles through the facility, which bears a sign reading "Imad 4", an apparent reference to top Hezbollah commander Imad Mughniyeh, who was killed in a 2008 Damascus car bombing the group blamed on Israel, AFP reported.

Titled "Our mountains are our storehouses", the video shows a trapdoor opening and a missile launcher directed skyward.

Hezbollah "possesses precision and non-precision missiles along with weapons capabilities so that if Israel imposes a war on Lebanon, Israel will face a destiny and reality it didn't expect any day," its chief Hassan Nasrallah is heard saying -- an excerpt from a 2018 speech.

The group has traded near daily fire with the Israeli army in support of ally Hamas since the Palestinian militant group's October 7 attack on Israel sparked the Gaza war.

But the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran late last month, blamed on Israel, and an Israeli strike that killed a top Hezbollah commander in Lebanon, has sent diplomats scrambling to avert a wider conflict, after Iran and Hezbollah vowed to retaliate.

"Targets are in our possession and the coordinates are in our hands, and these missiles are placed, deployed and focused on targets and in perfect secrecy," Nasrallah says in further audio excerpts subtitled in English and Hebrew.

Hezbollah's weapons, personnel, experience, and determination are "stronger than at any time since its launch in the region", he adds.

Hezbollah has expanded the size and quality of its arsenal since it last fought an all-out war with Israel in 2006.

Experts say the group has a wide range of unguided heavy artillery rockets, ballistic missiles, as well as anti-aircraft, anti-tank and anti-ship missiles.

They have also said Hezbollah likely has an extensive network of underground tunnels in south Lebanon, as well as in the eastern Bekaa valley near the border with Syria.

Mughniyeh is credited with developing Hezbollah's military capabilities, and the group considers him the architect of its "victory" over Israel in 2006.



Israel PM Calls For Mediators to 'Pressure' Hamas on Gaza Deal

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convenes the weekly cabinet meeting at the Defence Ministry in Tel Aviv, Israel, 07 January 2024 (reissued 31 March 2024). EPA/RONEN ZVULUN / POOL
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convenes the weekly cabinet meeting at the Defence Ministry in Tel Aviv, Israel, 07 January 2024 (reissued 31 March 2024). EPA/RONEN ZVULUN / POOL
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Israel PM Calls For Mediators to 'Pressure' Hamas on Gaza Deal

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convenes the weekly cabinet meeting at the Defence Ministry in Tel Aviv, Israel, 07 January 2024 (reissued 31 March 2024). EPA/RONEN ZVULUN / POOL
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convenes the weekly cabinet meeting at the Defence Ministry in Tel Aviv, Israel, 07 January 2024 (reissued 31 March 2024). EPA/RONEN ZVULUN / POOL

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on Gaza talks mediators the United States, Qatar and Egypt Friday to "pressure" Hamas to accept a deal.

"Israel hopes that their pressure will lead Hamas to accept the May 27 principles, in order for the details of the agreement to be implemented," a statement from his office said, referring to the three-phase plan submitted to US President Joe Biden.

Gaza ceasefire talks in Doha paused on Friday with negotiators to meet again next week seeking an agreement to end fighting between Israel and Hamas and free remaining hostages, as US President Joe Biden said "we're not there yet".

In a joint statement, the US, Qatar and Egypt said Washington had presented a new proposal that built on points of agreement over the past week, closing gaps in a way that could allow rapid implementation of a deal.

Mediators would keep working on the proposal, they said.

"The path is now set for that outcome, saving lives, bringing relief to the people of Gaza, and de-escalating regional tensions," they said in the statement.

On Thursday, Israel and mediators began the latest round in months of talks to end the war in Gaza, which has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians. Palestinian militant group Hamas was not directly involved but was kept briefed on progress.

A senior Hamas official, Izzat al-Rishq, told Reuters Israel "did not abide by what was agreed upon" in earlier talks, citing what mediators had told them.