JIBCHIT, Feb 15: Hezbollah leader, Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, warned on Sunday, that his militia would systematically respond to all Israeli violations of Lebanon's sovereignty.

"We announce to the Israeli enemy that violates Lebanese sovereignty daily that we will henceforth counter any violation, as sometimes in the past, we did not respond systematically," Nasrallah told some 6,000 followers.

"Every Israeli soldier who steps an inch into Lebanese territory... will be killed, wounded or captured," the Hezbollah leader cautioned. The meeting of Hezbollah supporters, which took place under a giant tent in the village of Jibchit in southern Lebanon, was called to mark the anniversary of the deaths of two militia leaders killed by Israel in Lebanon.

Nasrallah said his movement reserved the right to stage roadside ambushes and plant anti-personnel mines on the Lebanese side of the border with Israel, or along the "Blue Line" mapped out by the United Nations after Israeli troops withdrew from Lebanon in May 2000 after 22 years of occupation.

"On the ground, we are capable and ready to respond to any territorial violation of the international border and the blue line... including in the area near the Shebaa farms, which are Lebanese and which we want to liberate," he said.

He also said Hezbollah would oppose any attempts to violate Lebanon's territorial waters, without saying how, and would continue to use anti-aircraft fire to counter Israeli overflights of Lebanon.

Despite repeated UN condemnations, Israeli violations of Lebanese airspace - which regularly spark Hezbollah anti-aircraft fire - have been frequent since Israeli troops pulled out from southern Lebanon. The world body has said the flights hinder international efforts to maintain stability at the Israeli-Lebanese border. -AFP