Mahmoud Komati, deputy chief of the Hezbollah's political arm, also said that
the Shiite militant group will not lay down arms.
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![A large plume of smoke billows in the town of Khiam, in southern Lebanon, Tuesday, July 25, 2006, after Israeli air raids targeted it. An Israeli air raid on south Lebanon killed as many as four UN observers, overshadowing an international crisis meeting due to open in Rome, as Hezbollah vowed to fire rockets further into the heart of Israel.[AP Photo]](xin_52070326103791553133.jpg)
A
Lebanese man reacts as he looks at destruction caused by Israeli air
strikes in the southern suburbs of Beirut, a strong hold of Hezbollah,
July 25, 2006. [AFP]
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In separate remarks early Wednesday, Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah
defiantly vowed his fighters would begin firing rockets deeper into Israel,
beyond the northern port of Haifa.
"The truth is, let me say this clearly, we didn't even expect (this) response
... that (Israel) would exploit this operation for this big war against us,"
said Komati.
He said Hezbollah had expected "the usual, limited response" from Israel
after the two soldiers were seized by guerrillas on Israel's side of the border
on July 12.
In the past, he said, Israeli responses to Hezbollah actions included sending
commandos into Lebanon, seizing Hezbollah officials and briefly targeting
specific strongholds in southern Lebanon.
Komati said his group had anticipated negotiations to swap the Israeli
soldiers for three Lebanese held in Israeli jails, with Germany acting as a
mediator as it has in past prisoner exchanges.
In a speech broadcast on Hezbollah's al-Manar television, Nasrallah urged his
people to be patient, apparently counting on growing international anger at the
Israeli offensive in which hundreds of Lebanese have died.
"Our steadfastness will change the regional and international reality around
us. The enemy won't have a lot of time, no matter what cover the American
administration is providing it," Nasrallah said.
He said the group would enter a new stage in the fighting, vowing "our
attacks will not remain limited to Haifa." In the last two weeks, Hezbollah has
rained hundreds of rockets on northern Israel, reaching targets farther south
than in any previous attacks. The group has repeatedly hit the city of Haifa,
the third largest in Israel.
Komati said Hezbollah captured the Israeli soldiers from a military area, but
charged that Israelis had taken Hezbollah leaders from their homes at night.
"The response is unjustified," Komati said. He claimed the Israeli offensive
was planned in advance, and Israel was only "waiting for the right time" to
carry it out, a claim repeated by Nasrallah.
Asked about reports that Hezbollah has been firing Iranian-made missiles on
Israel, Komati said: "We don't deny nor confirm. We believe where the weapons
come from is irrelevant."
Hezbollah leaders previously have denied that Iran was supplying them with
weapons.
"Some of our fighters carry M16s. So you think we buy them from America?" he
asked.
Hezbollah is demanding an immediate end to Israeli attacks before agreeing to
negotiate, Komati said, rejecting a plan proposed by Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice during her visit to Beirut on Monday.
The plan calls for the deployment of international and Lebanese troops in
southern Lebanon to prevent Hezbollah attacks on Israel before a cease-fire.
"No one can talk about politics while the fire rages, and killings occur,"
Komati said.
He was adamant about Hezbollah's refusal to disarm because of what he said
was Israeli occupation of Lebanese land, the "threat of Israeli aggression" and
the Lebanese held in Israeli jails.
