This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/middle_east/7310872.stm

The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Hezbollah calls for Beirut rally Hezbollah leader pledges revenge
(about 18 hours later)
Hezbollah is to hold a rally in Beirut to mark the end of the 40-day mourning period for its assassinated commander Imad Mughniyeh. The leader of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, has said they will avenge the death of one of the group's top commanders last month.
He was speaking at a rally in Beirut to mark the end of the 40-day mourning period for Imad Mughniyeh.
Mughniyeh was killed by a car bomb in Damascus on 12 February.Mughniyeh was killed by a car bomb in Damascus on 12 February.
Israel, although it denies any involvement in the killing, has been braced for retaliation. Israel has denied accusations that it was involved in the murder, but it has issued warnings to its citizens around the world to be on alert.
During his life, Mughniyeh lived in the shadows. But since his death, he has been acclaimed by Hezbollah as one of the group's most important commanders. Acclaimed in death
The United States and Israel regarded him as a terrorist, responsible for a string of high-profile attacks over more than two decades. Thousands of Hezbollah's supporters attended the rally at a community centre in southern Beirut, with huge pictures of Imad Mughnieh adorning the walls.
After his killing in Damascus last month, Hezbollah blamed Israel. The group's leader Hassan Nasrallah spoke of "open war" and hinted at revenge. Since his death, Mughnieh has been acclaimed by Hezbollah as one of the group's most important commanders.
Temperature gauge Appearing by video link, Hassan Nasrallah said Hezbollah would avenge his death, choosing "the time, place and manner of punishment".
Israel denied involvement, but has issued warnings to its citizens around the world. "The Israelis are worried, as they should be, because our blood will not be spilled in vain," he told supporters.
There is speculation that retaliation could come soon, now that the traditional 40-day mourning period is over. However, he said another war with Israel, like the one in 2006, was unlikely.
But a counter argument is that Hezbollah will do nothing to risk triggering another war with Israel. "The decision to go to war is not one the Israeli leadership can make lightly because in Lebanon there is the power of the resistance, the will of the resistance and the culture of the resistance," he said.
The rally in the southern suburbs of Beirut on Monday will give further indications of the mood among Hezbollah supporters, and the appetite for further confrontation. The BBC's Mike Sergeant in Beirut says Israel has been bracing itself against possible retaliation, which he says could be more likely now that the traditional mourning period is over.