Israel: Hezbollah Diversion or Threat?

On Wednesday, in a briefing for journalists, Israel Defense Forces Colonel Ronen Merli revealed previously classified photographs allegedly showing Hezbollah's activities in towns and villages close to the Israeli border. Merli said:

Hezbollah is establishing itself with increasing strength in the villages. Every day they are collecting significant intelligence on our forces along the border and every day they are engaged in digging, building and laying communications infrastructure to prepare themselves for war.

Israel Video: Netanyahu “Why the World Needs Us” (8 July)

On Friday, Haaretz's Avi Issacharoff  stated that Israel not only failed in its 2006 war in Lebanon and that Hezbollah had demonstrated its capability in its campaign since "the southern Lebanon is once again in its hands". Noting the group's resistance against the French troops supposed to prevent military activities in southern Lebanon, Issacharoff listed Hezbollah's further "achievements":

According to various assessments, the Shi'ite organization has rebuilt its military capabilities north of the Litani River, where it has established a network of missile launchers any army in the world would be proud to possess. Furthermore, it has repaired the infrastructure of the Shi'ite villages south of the Litani that were severely hit in the war.

The response was not long in coming. A Hezbollah official warned London-based Asharq al-Awsat that Israel was "preparing something for us" and added that they would act with restraint.