145;Hizbollah was taken by surprise146;

Hizbollah deputy leader Naim Kassem in an interview published on Saturday in a Lebanese daily said the group was taken by surprise by the Israeli offensive.

8220;We were expecting the Israelis would respond at the most by bombing for a day or two or some limited attacks or targeting certain places, such that it would not go beyond three days and some limited damage,8221; he said. 8220;Frankly we were surprised by the great size of the Israeli response and by this serious attack.8221;

Kaseem said that two days after the war began, Hizbollah learned that Israel and the US had been planning an attack in September or October. 8220;Israel was not ready. In fact it wanted to prepare for two or three months more, but American pressure on one side and the Israeli desire to achieve a success on the other 8230; were factors which made them rush into battle,8221; he said.