Saudi news outlet Al Arabiya reported Sunday morning that a senior Israeli official said Israel believes Hezbollah has managed to smuggle hundreds of short-range rockets from Syria into Lebanon and has begun rebuilding its capabilities.
The official conveyed Israel's message: if Hezbollah's weapons are not dismantled, another strike on Beirut's Dahieh district, a Hezbollah stronghold, is on the table.
The Israeli official also made clear that Israel has no intention of withdrawing from five strategic positions it holds in southern Lebanon "for the foreseeable future" and will not permit the reestablishment of the line of Lebanese villages near the border.
He added that Egypt is involved in efforts to mediate and prevent escalation along the Lebanese front. In recent days, Egyptian intelligence chief Hassan Rashad visited Beirut and held discussions on the matter with senior Lebanese officials.
