JERUSALEM - Israel's Vice Premier Shimon Peres toured the Lebanese border area Tuesday and was briefed on the militant Hezbollah's rearming progress in Lebanon.

Senior military officials told Peres that Hezbollah is smuggling weapons from Syria at night out of the sight of U.N. peacekeeping forces, the Jerusalem Post reported.

However, Peres contradicted a senior intelligence officer's testimony before the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on Monday that Hezbollah had returned to its pre-war capabilities and has even become stronger since the 34-day conflict in July and August.

Peres disagreed and told reporters Tuesday that strength was not only measured by arms but also by deployment and freedom of movement.He went on to say the U.N. force needed to be more vigilant for arms smugglers.

From what we are witnessing, (Hezbollah head Sheik Hassan) Nasrallah is ridiculing the United Nations, admitting that the group has been engaging in arms smuggling, Peres said. -UPI