Hezbollah vows tougher response if Israel attacks

BEIRUT (AFP/Reuters) - Any Israeli attack on Lebanon would bring a stronger response from Hezbollah than in the devastating conflict of 2006, a leader of the Shia group said on Sunday.
If (Israeli Defence Minister Ehud) Baraks threats are serious and I dont think they are he should be aware that if he commits an error or stupid act against Lebanon... he will discover that the months of July and August 2006 were just a bit of fun, said Hezbollah executive council chairman Hashem Safieddin.
Barak said on Thursday that the Jewish state would use all necessary force if there was a fresh conflict on its northern border with Lebanon.
Safieddin said: Today we are powerful and this is thanks to the 2006 victory, which is why we think the Israeli threats are hollow and meaningless.
Meanwhile, Israels deputy foreign minister said on Sunday that Israel will hold Lebanese guerrilla group Hezbollah and Lebanon itself responsible for any attempt to assassinate Israelis abroad, and will retaliate.
Hezbollah blamed Israel for the Feb 12, 2008 killing of its military mastermind, Imad Moughniyeh, in Syria and vowed revenge. Israel has since reported failed bids by Hezbollah agents to target its citizens in Africa and Central Asia.
An Egyptian newspaper on Saturday reported the capture of several men linked to al Qaeda intent on assassinating Israels ambassador to Cairo. But Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon said the alleged plot was certainly the work of Iranian-backed, Hezbollah.
And I have one message here: If, God forbid, one hair falls off the head of any Israeli representative abroad, or of even an Israeli who is not an official representative, tourists, etc., we will consider Hezbollah responsible, he told Israel Radio.
The outcome, for Hezbollah, will, I think, be of the utmost gravity, Ayalon said. For Lebanon too. It is important ... to relay this warning to Lebanon, which is responsible for Hezbollah that they will suffer the consequences if they carry out assassinations of Israelis.
Egypts independent daily Al Masry Al Youm reported that the al Qaeda-linked men had been arrested and confessed to monitoring the Israeli embassy and ambassadors house with a view to killing him, but had been foiled by tight security.
Egyptian officials could not immediately be reached for comment and the report could not be independently confirmed.
Hezbollah had no comment on Ayalons remarks.
Asked how he could assert that it was Hezbollah who were behind the plot rather than al Qaeda, Ayalon told Israel Radio:
I dont want to get into the intelligence or operational issues here, but certainly there is both an ideological connection and a professional connection of sorts here.