Israel to target Lebanese govt. sites in future conflicts

An Israeli military official has threatened that Tel Aviv warplanes would target Lebanese governmental institutions in any future confrontation, Press TV reports. “It was a mistake not to attack Lebanese government targets during the [Second Lebanon] War in 2006,” the Israeli newspaper daily Jerusalem quoted an Israeli defense official as saying on Wednesday. The official added that the United States asked Israel not to bomb Lebanese government targets during the 2006 war to support the Western-backed government of Fuad Seniora, the Lebanese prime minister at the time. However, Retired Lebanese Army Brigadier, Naji Malaeb says that Israeli threats against Lebanon are part of a strategy to create division between Hezbollah and other government components, a Press TV correspondent reported. Meanwhile, analysts say that Tel Aviv’s threats against Lebanon are mere words which will not translate into actions, and Israel cannot afford to launch an attack on Lebanon, or any other regional target. The Israeli military invaded Lebanon in July 2006 with the intention of eliminating the resistance movement, Hezbollah. The invasion, also known as the 33-Day War, killed at least 1,200 Lebanese most of them civilians. Hezbollah, however, inflicted heavy losses on the Israeli forces and Tel Aviv was compelled to withdraw without having achieved any of its objectives.