BEIRUT, Lebanon, Aug. 28 (UPI) -- The leader of the Lebanese Hezbollah movement says Israel's full-out war in response to the abduction of two soldiers was a surprise to him.
Speaking on Lebanon's New TV, Hassan Nasrallah said the July 12 tunneling raid of a border post in which three other Israeli soldiers were killed would not have been carried out if Israel's mass response had been anticipated.
"If there was a 1 percent possibility (of full war), we would not have done that. We would not have done any capturing," Nasrallah said. "I would say no, I would not have entered this for many reasons -- military, social, political, economic."
CNN said in his 80-minute interview with the Lebanese broadcaster, Nasrallah said prisoner swap negotiations had begun, with Lebanese parliamentarian Nabih Berri serving as a go-between with Hezbollah and Israel.
After 34 days of fighting, a U.N. cease-fire came into effect, and a 15,000-member peacekeeping force is being mustered, with Italy taking charge.
