Lebanon vows response to any Israeli aggression

Lebanese Army Commander General Jean Qahwaji stressed Monday that the military would respond in case of an Israeli military attack.

In a statement by Lebanon's Army Guidance Directorate, Qahwaji said "the army has the full capability to respond to any Israeli aggression", Xinhua reported.

Qahwaji inspected the army units in Marjeyoun, which lies eight kilometers from the border with Israel.

He lauded after visiting the headquarters of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in Naqoura and the command of the army's eighth brigade in al-Zahrani, which were tasked to the implementation of all Security Council resolutions, mainly 1701.

Commander of the UNIFIL General Paolo Serra said "the visit of General Qahwaji to the UNIFIL is a strong confirmation on trust and friendship upon which our all-level cooperation is built, in compliance with resolution 1701."

The 1701 resolution, issued in August 2006 following a 33-day battle between Israel and Hezbollah, called for the pullout of the Israeli army from south Lebanon and its replacement by a UN-backed Lebanese army deployment.

The resolution also called for the disarming of all militias and the prevention of illegal arms sales and smuggling operations in Lebanon.