FINALLY: GATES ADMITS HIZBALLAH GOT MISSILES FROM SYRIA

BBC:

Hezbollah 'has improved missiles'

The US defence secretary has warned that Hezbollah now has more rockets and missiles than most governments.

Robert Gates accused Syria and Iran of supplying weapons of "ever-increasing capability" to the military wing of the Lebanese Shia Islamist movement.

"This is obviously destabilising for the whole region," he said following talks with his Israeli counterpart.

But Mr Gates did not say if Syria was supplying Hezbollah with Scud ballistic missiles, as Israel has alleged.

Hezbollah fought a 34-day conflict with Israel in 2006 during which more than 1,200 Lebanese people, mostly civilians, were killed. Some 160 Israeli people, most of whom were soldiers, also died.

United Nations Security Council resolution 1701, which ended the conflict, included an arms embargo on Lebanon, except for transfers authorised by the Lebanese government or UN.

'Delicate balance'

After meeting Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak in Washington on Tuesday, Mr Gates said Syria and Iran was "providing Hezbollah with rockets and missiles of ever-increasing capability".

WHAT SHOULD WE DO?

TREAT THIS AS SERIOUSLY AS WE TREATED THE CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS.

SEND THE SIXTH FLEET.

GIVE SYRIA AN ULTIMATUM.

TAKE BACK THE MISSILES OR DAMASCUS GET BOMBED BACK TO THE 6TH CENTURY.