Hezbollah leaders hits back at Israel’s threat

BEIRUT - The leader of Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, on Monday warned Israel it "will also go back to the stone age" if it attacks Lebanon.

Israel's defence minister had threatened on Tuesday to "return Lebanon to the stone age" in any war against Hezbollah, following weeks of friction with the armed group along the countries' border.

"Do not make a mistake. We do not want a war. But we are prepared to protect our civilians, our soldiers and our sovereignty," Yoav Gallant said.

Such rhetoric has been heard from both sides since the last Israel-Hezbollah war, in 2006. But it has become more pointed since a roadside bombing in Israel in March, which it blamed on a Hezbollah infiltrator.

The group did not claim responsibility for the bombing.