Special report: Israel-Lebanon conflicts [Gallery] [Videos]

Hizbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah speaks during an interview on Lebanon's New Television, August 27, 2006.  (Xinhua/AFP Photo) Photo Gallery >>>

    BEIJING, Aug. 28 (Xinhuanet) -- Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said that the group would have never captured two Israeli soldiers, had he known it would plunge Lebanon into a catastrophic war.

    In an interview with Lebanese television Sunday night, Nasrallah said "We did not think, even one percent, that the capture would lead to a war at this time and of such magnitude."

    "You ask me if I had known on 11 July (the day before the cross border raid) that the operation would lead to such a war would I do it? I say no, absolutely not."

    "I would say no, I would not have entered this for many reasons -- military, social, political, economic," said Nasrallah, speaking in Arabic.

    In a raid into Israel on July 12, Hezbollah militants killed three Israeli soldiers and abducted two others.

    That attack sparked a response that the Israelis said was intended to target Hezbollah militants, but which resulted in the killing of more than 1,000 Lebanese -- most of them civilians -- and the widespread destruction of the country's infrastructure. The death toll among Israelis was 159, including 41 civilians.

    Nasrallah also revealed that the original cause of the war looked likely to be settled by negotiation and contacts which were under way to exchange the captured soldiers for prisoners held by Israel.

    But Nasrallah also said the war would have happened anyway -- a few months later.

    "If we hadn't captured those soldiers, the war would have come in October anyway." Hezbollah's raid drew Israeli action sooner and "deprived the Israelis of the element of surprise," he said.

    Nasrallah also revealed Italy was trying to broker an Israel-Hezbollah prisoner exchange. ¡°Contacts recently began for negotiations. It seems that Italy is trying to get into the subject. The United Nations is interested and the negotiations would be through (Parliamentary Speaker Nabih) Berri,¡± he said.

    In the interview that lasted more than 80 minutes, Nasrallah expressed no regret for the deaths of Israeli civilians and again declared "victory" in the monthlong war with Israel.

    He also said he did not expect major fighting to re-emerge soon, saying indications were that Israel was not gearing up for such action.

    The UN cease-fire resolution that ended the war calls for Hezbollah to be disarmed south of the Litani River. It is unclear whether Hezbollah -- which calls for Israel's destruction -- will comply.  Enditem

    (Agencies)