JERUSALEM – Saudi Arabia secretly proposed to send an "Arab force" to Lebanon that would act under the cover of international troops to fight the Iranian-backed Hezbollah, according to a U.S. diplomatic cable released by WikiLeaks and reviewed by WND.

One day before that May 12, 2008, cable, WND first reported that with U.S. approval, Saudi Arabia was providing weaponry to militias associated with anti-Syrian Lebanese opposition leaders to bolster them against the Hezbollah terror organization.

The U.S. government cable related a May 12, 2008, meeting between the Saudi foreign minister, Saud Al-Faisal, and David Satterfield, then coordinator for Iraq and senior adviser to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

During the meeting, Faisal petitioned for a "security response" to Hezbollah´s "military challenge" to the government of Lebanon. He warned Hezbollah was poised to push an "Iranian takeover" of Lebanon.

Faisal proposed an "Arab force" to create and maintain order in and around Beirut, which would be assisted in its efforts and come under the "cover" of a deployment of some 20,000 international troops currently in south Lebanon, according to the cable.

Faisal stated the U.S. and NATO would need to provide the secret Arab contingent movement and logistic support, as well as "naval and air cover," the cable related.

One day before that cable, WND reported on U.S.-supported Saudi efforts to arm the anti-Hezbollah opposition in Lebanon.

The Saudi weapons were provided to militias associated with Lebanon´s Druze leader Walid Jumblatt, then-Parliament Leader Saad Hariri, now prime minister, and former president Amin Gemayel, according to informed security officials who spoke to WND in May 2008.

The weapons mostly consisted of assault rifles, rocket propelled grenades, and combat equipment such as military boot, tents and night- vision goggles, the officials said.

The weapons may have been put to use during urban warfare battles that month between Hezbollah and Jumblatt followers in the town of Aley, east of Beirut. At least two people were killed and four wounded in those clashes.

Informed security officials say the Saudi weapons also were used by pro-democracy gunmen battling Hezbollah forces since Hezbollah started the violence in May 2008 after the Lebanese government decided to dismantle and take legal action against Hezbollah´s communications network amid accusations the terror group set up a system to monitor the travels of anti-Syrian Lebanese figures. (Copyright 1997-2010 WorldNetDaily.com Inc. 12/09/10)