News   /   Lebanon   /   Editor's Choice

UK watchtowers meant to monitor Hezbollah: Lebanese officer

Hezbollah supporters carrying flags on motorbikes drive past Lebanese soldiers as the army deploys amid clashes in the Khalde area, south of the Lebanese capital, Beirut, on August 1, 2021. (Photo by AFP)

A senior Lebanese military officer says the real objective of the United Kingdom in planning to build more watchtowers along the border between Lebanon and Syria is to monitor the Hezbollah resistance movement.

Speaking in an interview with The Cradle, an anonymous senior officer in the Lebanese Armed Forces said the stated reason for the construction of the current towers, funded by Britain, had been to keep an eye on the movements of the Takfiri Daesh militants.

Britain has built scores of sophisticated watchtowers on the border between Syria and Lebanon in recent years allegedly to support the Lebanese armed forces to protect the country from an invasion by terrorist groups. But the Takfiri terrorist groups have been dislodged from the area. Yet, a new unannounced plan seeks to further increase the number of the watchtowers, according to The Cradle.

The Lebanese officer said the goal was “clearly to achieve full control of the northeastern border with the aim of establishing authority over all the borders with Syria” and “to monitor the movements of Hezbollah and the Syrians.”

According to the media outlet, resistance axis sources believe that the goal of the towers is to “cover border points to reveal Hezbollah’s supply lines, weapons caches, and movement of individuals across the borders.”

Elsewhere in his remarks, the Lebanese military officer ruled out a confrontation between the Lebanese army and Hezbollah.

“Both the army and the Americans know that such a confrontation would lead to army defections,” the officer said, answering a question by The Cradle.

“Besides, the balance of power is vastly in favor of the resistance, which prevents such a scenario. No one wants such a confrontation,” the source added.

Hezbollah was established following the 1982 Israeli invasion and occupation of southern Lebanon. Since then, the movement has grown into a powerful military force, dealing repeated blows to the Israeli military, including during a 33-day war in July 2006.

Hezbollah backs the Damascus government in its fight against the foreign-backed Takfiri militants who have been wreaking havoc in Syria since March 2011.


Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk

SHARE THIS ARTICLE
Press TV News Roku