Hezbollah issues statement to Israel

TEHRAN, Aug. 17 (UPI) -- Israel could not sustain the onslaught of Iran should it decide to attack the powerful Islamic republic, a leading Hezbollah cleric said Monday.

Israel has issued repeated threats against Iran, saying it would not rule out military strikes on Iranian soil should Tehran decide to attack its bitter foe.

Mohammad Yazbek, a member of the consultative Shura Council for Hezbollah, told the Fars News Agency in Iran that Israel should not attack Iranian interests.

"The Zionist regime (of Israel) is not able to wage an attack on Iran, for Iran is a powerful country and Israel cannot even think of attacking," the Hezbollah leader said.

His comments come against the backdrop of renewed tensions between Hezbollah and Israel concerning activity along the southern Lebanese border. Beirut complains Israel is encroaching on Lebanese sovereignty while Israel worries Hezbollah activity along the border is a sign of a pending attack.

Israel and Hezbollah fought a 34-day conflict in 2006. Yazbek, echoing earlier Hezbollah sentiments, said Israel would have regrets should it decide to wage war on the Iranian proxy.

"If the regime (Israel) embarks on targeting Lebanon, then it will enter a war much different from that of the 2006 war," he said.