Due to fear of attack Israel places its troops under a state of high alert

Thursday February 14, 2008 19:45 by Ghassan Bannoura - IMEMC News

The Israeli army announced on Thursday that they have decided to increase their state of alert on the Israeli-Lebanese borders.

Army officials told media that the new state of alert comes as Israel fears attacks by Hezbollah against Israeli targets, or the abduction of more Israeli soldiers. In 2006, Hezbollah fighters managed to abduct two Israeli soldiers on the Lebanese-Israeli borders.

The fear of attack, the army radio reported, comes as Hezbollah accuses Israel of assassinating a high level leader of Hezbollah on Tuesday.

Imad Mughaniya, the deputy leader of the Hezbollah party was killed on Tuesday night in a car bomb blast that took place in a residential neighborhood in the Syrian capital, Damascus. The party accused Israel of the attack. Israel has denied any involvement.

The Israeli army radio added that Israel has increased all security measures around its embassies and diplomatic missions worldwide, adding that the army also instructed Israeli-run Jewish centers in several parts of the world to take more security measures.

The Israeli National Security Service also increased security measures on Israeli planes and airports, media reports said.

israel | miscellaneous | news report ghassanb at imemc dot org