JERUSALEM, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert warned Tuesday that his country will not exercise restraint if Lebanon turns into a Hezbollah state.

    Touring the Home Front Command headquarters in Ramle, Olmert said that Israel avoided using heavy weaponry in the Second Lebanon War because it fought against "a terror group (Hezbollah) and not a country."

    But if Lebanon turns into a Hezbollah state, Israel will remove those limitations, local daily Jerusalem Post quoted Olmert as saying.

    The threat Israel was exposed to was more imagined than real, Olmert added.

    The Israeli premier told the Home Front Command that if another war (with Hezbollah) breaks out, you would likely play a central role, "since our enemies will also target big cities and their inhabitants."

    On Aug. 12, the Lebanese parliament overwhelmingly approved a national unity cabinet after a five-day debate on a controversial government policy that upholds Hezbollah's right to keep its weapons.

    The policy asserts "the right of Lebanon, its people, its army and the resistance (Hezbollah) to liberate its land" occupied by Israel, according to the Jerusalem Post.