Hezbollah fears collapse of Syria, vows to take Beirut if Assad falls

Not just sabre-rattling, they have the ability to make a serious challenge to the Lebanese Army. A government/military unto itself, Hezbollah has been arming itself for a while now, just for this chance to make a power grab. It is for a fear of what Israel might do after Assad falls; having control over a major city and the ability to launch other attacks against Israel from the border region is too good an opportunity to pass up.

Watch for news any time now on a movement of Hezbollah against the Lebanese government, timed with an announcement of the collapse of the Assad regime.

From The Jerusalem Post November 22

'If Assad falls, Hezbollah will take Beirut'

Hezbollah may launch a military offensive to take over the Lebanese capital of Beirut if Syrian President Bashar Assad is forced out of power, Dubai-based Arabic-language news website Al Arabiya reported Tuesday according to a "source close to Hezbollah."

According to the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, despite an air of confidence in broadcasts from Hezbollah's Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, officials behind closed doors have begun to worry about the potential fallout that may result following the collapse of the Syrian regime, especially given the alliance between Hezbollah, Syria and Iran.

"The moment that Hezbollah feels that the fall of the Assad regime is imminent - either as a result of the popular movement or of foreign military intervention - it will move quickly to take control of East and West Beirut," the sources told Al Arabiya.

The source added that Hezbollah would receive support from the Free Patriotic Movement - a faction with eleven ministers in the Lebanese government - led by formerLebanese army commander Michel Aoun.

The source said that Hezbollah would seek to fortify itself in the nation's capital in order to defend itself against the threat posed by Israel, which may feel emboldened enough following the fall of Assad to launch an offensive against Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Hezbollah, a close ally of both Syria and Iran, has denounced any potential foreign intervention inside Syria. Nasrallah warned earlier this month in a televised speech to commemorate "Martyr's Day" that any attack on Syria or Iran would lead to an all-out regional war.

Israel has said that Iran has heavily armed Hezbollah by smuggling weapons through Syria.

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