Hezbollah leader pledges revenge

Thousands attended the rally in Beirut.

The leader of Lebanon's Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, has said the group will avenge the death of one of its top military 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.

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.

Acclaimed in death

Thousands of Hezbollah's supporters attended the rally at a community centre in southern Beirut, with huge pictures of Mughniyeh adorning the walls.

Since his death, Mughniyeh has been acclaimed by Hezbollah as one of the group's most important commanders.

Appearing by video link, Hassan Nasrallah said Hezbollah would avenge his death, choosing "the time, place and manner of punishment".

"The Israelis are worried, as they should be, because our blood will not be spilled in vain," he told supporters.

However, he said another war with Israel, like the one in 2006, was unlikely.

"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 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.