Halutz: Talk of war with Syria premature

TEL AVIV, Israel, Jan. 14 (UPI) -- The Israeli Defense Forces chief of staff told the country's Cabinet Sunday that talk of an imminent war with Syria is "premature and exaggerated."

Army Radio reported that when asked at the weekly Cabinet meeting about reports of a war this summer, Lt. Gen. Dan Halutz replied, "We are always preparing."

"The Syrians have also heard these comments. Sometimes speculation can bring about consequences that nobody wants," Halutz said, reported Haaretz.

Haaretz said Halutz warned the Cabinet ministers that Hezbollah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah was trying to unseat the Lebanese government headed by Prime Minister Fuad Siniora, according to a report by Army Radio.

"Damascus is indeed pulling the strings in Lebanon, but the IDF has managed to lower the temperature on the northern front," Halutz told the ministers.