Israel 'anticipates Hezbollah retaliation' for Iran nuclear site hit

Hezbollah will respond militarily in the event Israel strikes Iran’s nuclear programme, a senior Israeli official has told a TV channel.

Israeli officials are almost certain that Hezbollah, the Lebanon-based political and paramilitary Shia movement backed by Iran, will attack Israel if it bombs Iranian nuclear facilities, the state-run Kan 11 TV channel reported on Tuesday, citing an anonymous official.

Israel is stepping up its defence on its borders with Lebanon and Syria in anticipation of clashes with Hezbollah, according to the Kan 11 report.

A high-ranking Israeli official also warned journalists on Tuesday that Hezbollah’s large firepower posed a significant challenge to Israel, according to the daily Yedioth Ahronoth.

Hezbollah and Israel fought a devastating month-long war in the summer of 2006, with a number of border skirmishes taking place since then.

The Israeli official's warning comes as Iran and western powers engage in talks to revive the 2015 nuclear deal.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said on Monday that Tel Aviv would continue to consider itself free to act "with no constraints" against Iran if necessary, regardless of any revival of the nuclear deal.

Some experts have questioned whether Israel, on its own, has the military capabilities to halt what it says is an Iranian quest for nuclear weapons.