Hezbollah lauds Israeli spy finds

BEIRUT, Lebanon, Oct. 19 (UPI) -- Hezbollah declared a major victory for its resistance movement against Israel following the discovery of Israeli spy devices in south Lebanon.

Hezbollah said it "managed to uncover a spy device" in south Lebanon that it claimed Israel planted following the 34-day conflict with militants in the Shiite resistance movement in 2006.

"The spying gear was planted on a telecommunication cable that was placed after the 2006 July war," Hezbollah said in statements on its al-Manar news network. "Right after the device was discovered, the Israeli enemy remotely destroyed the gear."

Hezbollah said it was upset with language issued by the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon saying the devices were "apparently" placed by Israeli forces. Hezbollah lawmakers said that suggested UNIFIL was taking sides on the issue.

Hezbollah last week said it had evidence to counter Israeli footage from a surveillance drone showing Lebanese men "removing dozens of rockets" from an explosion site.

In its own account of the events on the ground, Hezbollah said it has video showing a delivery truck removing a sliding door and furniture, but no weapons.

Tensions along the border between Israel and Lebanon intensified during the summer. Lebanon filed a series of complaints with the United Nations regarding Israeli violations of its territory while Israel accused Hezbollah of amassing weapons along the border.