Jerusalem- Hezbollah conducted a military exercise on Monday to practice techniques for kidnapping IDF service personnel. The maneuver was timed to coincide with Israeli drills near the Lebanese border.

According to the Lebanese newspaper As-Safir, the simulated abduction was based on a 2006 attack against an Israeli border outpost at the disputed Sheba farms. During the 2006 attack Hezbollah infiltrators kidnapped Israeli servicemen Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev. During the raid and the subsequent Israeli pursuit, five IDF servicemen were killed. In response Israel launched the Second Lebanon War.

Before the start of the ninety minute maneuver, Lebanese Agriculture Minister Hussein Haj Hasan addressed civil defense squads and Hezbollah guerrillas. "Lebanon will restore the past glory of both the army and resistance strength, as well as the level of preparedness and might similar to that of July 2006 in terms of quality and quantity," he said. "We will defend Lebanon without hesitation or fear."

Local dignitaries and municipal leaders also attended.

The maneuver comes as Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri is in Washington for talks with President Obama.