US envoy warned Lebanon: Israel can wipe out Lebanese Army between breakfast and lunch

A senior advisor to US special envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell has threatened Lebanese army commander Jean Kahwajim that should his army dare initiate additional exchanges of fire with Israel, the IDF would annihilate his military within four hours, Lebanese newspaper al-Liwa reported Friday.

According to the report, Frederick Hof spoke to Kahwaji on August 9, following the deadly border skirmish between Israel and Lebanon. The report quotes Mitchell's aide as telling the Lebanese commander that Israel had decided to carry out a plan "which would completely destroy the Lebanese army's bases, centers and offices within four hours" in the event that such an unprovoked incident were to be repeated.

Lieutenant-Colonel (res.) Dov Harari was killed in the border skirmish earlier this month and another officer was seriously injured by LAF fire after IDF forces entered an enclave in Israeli territory to uproot a tree. Lebanon later blamed Israel for violating UN Resolution 1701, but a UN investigation released Thursday found Israel fully within its rights and blamed Lebanon for the unjustified killing.

US sources said a UNIFIL report which ruled that the tree was on Israel's side of the border sheds new light on the possible danger caused by the proximity between the Lebanese army and Hezbollah.