Former IDF chief of general staff Lt.-Gen. Dan Halutz on Sunday evening revealed that Israel attempted to assassinate Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah during the Second Lebanon War in 2006. "In the Second Lebanon War there was an attempt to hit Hizbullah leader Hassan Nassralah, but it wasn't successful," Army Radio quoted Halutz as telling participants at a Tel Aviv University conference.Halutz, who resigned from his post following the war, apparently criticized the government's policy regarding reporters in 2006, and said that the policy of openness to the media during the Second Lebanon War was exaggerated.
Meanwhile in Lebanon, Hizbullah's leadership instructed all its operatives to raise their alert to "emergency level" for the duration of the IDF Home Front Command's week-long 'Turning Point 3' national drill, Lebanese media reported.
Hizbullah expressed fear over what they called "Israel's attempt to use the drill in order to attack targets in Lebanon or carry out special operations."
The group publicly announced that both its military and political wings were well prepared for such a scenario, saying that "the units have been fortified with additional fighters, and the organization will remain on high alert for the duration of Israel's drill."
Last week, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said that an arrest warrant should be immediately issued for Nasrallah, following a German report linking Hizbullah to the assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri.
"An international arrest warrant must be issued for Nasrallah, and he must stand trial," Lieberman said before the weekly cabinet meeting last week. "The report about Nasrallah's involvement in the murder of prime minister Rafik Hariri must send a warning signal to the international community."