Western intelligence analysts believe that a large explosion at a Hezbollah base in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley resulted from the use of weapons, including long-range missiles, smuggled from Iraq, Ha’aretz reports.
Following the explosion Monday, heard 20 miles away, Lebanese sources said Hezbollah closed off the area around Jinta and barred media crews from entering. Ambulances rushed to the scene, but no information about casualties was forthcoming.
Western intelligence experts believe the explosion was connected to an Iraqi arms shipment that reached Hezbollah a few days before the blast.
Last week, Ha’aretz reported Iraq gave Hezbollah medium-range missiles. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said last week that Israel believes Iraq also transferred chemical and biological weapons to Syria to keep them from the attention of United Nations inspectors.
Sheik Hassan Ezzeddine, Hezbollah’s media chief, said the blast was caused by the guerrilla group detonating shells and ordnance left behind by the Israeli army, which withdrew from southern Lebanon in 2000.
Hezbollah has fired hundreds of Katyusha rockets with a range of up to 17 miles on northern Israeli towns.
