JERUSALEM, July 18 (UPI) -- Israeli officials say Hezbollah has been buying land in villages in southern Lebanon for use as bases for cross-border rocket attacks.
Defense sources told The Jerusalem Post that the purchases are a departure from Hezbollah's past practices of stationing its rocket launchers in nature preserve forests.
"Hezbollah is moving into every town that it can," a defense official told the Post.
The idea appears to be a move to better protect their launchers from U.N. observers. The Post said U.N. personnel cannot enter Lebanese villages unless they are accompanied by Lebanese troops, which Israel says guarantees Hezbollah will be tipped off in time to hide the weapons.
Israel has been urging the U.N. to changes the peacekeepers' mandate so they can move more freely.
