26/05/2009 “The defense establishment is concerned that Hezbollah will try to smuggle advanced anti-aircraft missiles into Lebanon in the near future - yet another reason for the rising tension on the Israel-Lebanon border,” Haaretz newspaper said on Tuesday.
 
"Israel has made it clear in past statements that it will consider such a development as crossing a red line, which might necessitate preventative measures," the daily said. “It is believed that Hezbollah would like to deploy SA-8 batteries in Lebanon. Such weapons could pose a threat to Israel Air Force jets flying over the country.”
 
According to Haaretz, the Soviet-made missiles are part of Syria's military arsenal, and Hezbollah resistance fighters have received training on their use, inside Syrian territory.
 
It said Syria remains the main channel through which arms are transferred to Hezbollah, adding that almost a year ago, Israel relayed messages to both Damascus and Hezbollah, through several channels, warning that the Jewish state would consider launching air strikes against the convoys delivering the weapons, if they were brought into Lebanon.
 
"Then-prime minister Ehud Olmert and Defense Minister Ehud Barak hinted publicly that these weapons would "upset the (existing) balance" and that Israel would not tolerate such a development," Haaretz added.
 
The Israeli daily said the past few weeks witnessed growing concern about the missile transfers in the wake of the June 7 Lebanese parliamentary elections in a show of force.
 
"The intelligence assessments regarding the missiles follow a long series of unusual developments in Lebanon that are contributing to rising tensions," including the discovery of Israeli spy rings, the Der Spiegel report on Hezbollah’s alleged involvement in the assassination of ex-Premier Rafik Hariri, and the unsettled score for the killing of Hezbollah military commander Martyr Imad Mughniyeh.