Israel fears Hezbollah could force sea blockade in \'future war\'

Israel expressed fear that Hezbollah will try to blockade the country by targeting civilian cargo ships within a 30 kilometers radius to halt them from sailing there during war, the Jerusalem Post reported. According to the Israeli newspaper, Israel receives 90 percent of all goods, including ammunition and military hardware, by sea. A senior navy officer told the JP that “Hezbollah has already proven that it can fire missiles… the operational capability exists as does the readiness to act.” He warned that if Hezbollah succeeded in stopping commercial vessels from sailing to Ashdod and Haifa ports, then Israel will suffer major consequences. “People have not internalized what it means that 99% of what we import as a country comes by sea,” the officer pointed out. He stated that this is the “first and primary challenge (Israel) will need to confront.” Israel estimates that Hezbollah has an arsenal of 40,000 short- and medium-range rockets, which are being held in towns and villages across the south -- a significant rise from the 14,000 rockets held by the group in 2006. It says the stockpile includes hundreds of longer-range rockets, some with a range of more than 300 kilometres, capable of reaching major Israeli population centres. Israel fought a devastating war against Hezbollah in 2006 that cost the lives of 1,200 people in Lebanon, mainly civilians, and 160 Israelis, mostly soldiers.