A war of words replaced a real war that could have erupted on the border between Lebanon and Israel following Hezbollah's Jan. 28 attack on Israeli soldiers, in retaliation for Israel’s assassination of six of its commanders and an Iranian general.

Hassan Nasrallah, the group’s chief, made it clear in a televised speech that from now on there would be no rules of engagement. He said that he did not fear a new war, yet he did not want a war.

"'Israel' must understand that the resistance is not and will not be deterred. It’s wise but still doesn't fear any war," said Nasrallah, who appeared on a screen before thousands of supporters in Beirut's southern suburbs. "The resistance no longer cares about rules of engagement, and we do not recognize them in confronting the enemy. We have the right to confront the enemy at any time, place or manner."

Nasrallah might be indicating that the front is no longer Lebanon's border with Israel, but Syria's border, too, along the Golan, where Israel's attack took place. "The most important message to Israel is: Do not mistake the calculations. I'm not talking about psychological warfare, but the mere truth, which we expressed in the battlefield."