US, «Israeli» Troops in Joint Drills in Occupied Territories

Local Editor

The US has deployed military forces to the "Israeli"-occupied territories ahead of a joint war game with Tel Aviv as the regime ramps up its threats of a new war against Lebanon.

"Israeli" media outlets announced the arrival of the American troops on Thursday in preparation for the so-called Juniper Cobra biennial military drills, which will start next week.

The last edition of the drills enlisted more than 3,000 forces from the two sides.

The sources said the maneuvers simulate engagement with the countries lying to the north and south of the occupied territories, including Lebanon.

The "Israeli" entity and Lebanon are technically at war since 1967 when the regime occupied the country's Shebaa Farms.

The entity staged two wholesale wars against Lebanon in 2000 and 2006.

Tel Aviv fell short of the ambition in both cases in the face of strong resistance by Hezbollah, backed by the national army, and instead saw its myth of invincibility being dealt a serious blow.

On Wednesday, "Israeli" War minister, Avigdor Lieberman, renewed the threat of a new war against Lebanon, saying Beirut would "pay the full price" for its ties with Tehran in a future military offensive.

Lieberman also warned companies not to engage in oil and gas exploration activities with Lebanon.

Hezbollah responded by saying the group would "decisively confront any assault on our oil and gas rights."

Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri and other Lebanese statesmen also reacted, with Hariri saying Lieberman's remarks were one of several "threatening messages" from the "Israeli" entity over the previous days.

Hariri had on January 25 called the entity the greatest threat to Lebanon's stability amid similar indications that the regime could be contemplating new military offensive against his nation.

"The only threat I see is 'Israel' taking some kind of action against Lebanon, out of a miscalculation," Hariri told an audience at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. "And this is the real threat, I believe. I think the other issues are challenges, yes ... But when 'Israel' decides to launch a war against Lebanon, this is something that is unexplainable," he added.

Lieberman suggested that a war with Lebanon would also likely involve Syria.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team