550 Hizbullah Bunkers Identified

Ten arms caches are marked on another map featuring an aerial view of a village in south Lebanon. The weapons storage facilities are located in close proximity to medical centers and schools. According to the map, one of Hizbullah's bunkers is located in a mosque.

“In releasing the map, the Israeli military appeared to be trying to preempt international criticism of any future offensive against the alleged sites, many of which are located in residential villages alongside hospitals, schools, and even civilian homes,” The Jerusalem Post reported. The daily quoted a senior Israeli commander as saying, “Our interest is to show the world that the Hizbullah organization has turned these villages into fighting zones.”

About six months ago, then-Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. (res.) Gabi Ashkenazi warned that Hizbullah was establishing “rocket villages” in south Lebanon, adding that the Shiite group was using civilians and UNIFIL's lack of authority to act in order to fortify its positions and rocket launchers inside the villages.