REPORT: RUSSIA DEMANDED WITHDRAWAL – HEZBOLLAH REFUSED: The Lebanese Shi’ite terror group Hezbollah has refused demands by Russia that it withdraw its forces from southwestern Syria as part of larger removal of foreign military assets from the vicinity of the Israeli border. According to a report on Thurs. 14 June 2018 by the London-based anti-Assad Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), Russia has demanded that Hezbollah pull out from large parts of war-torn Syria, as part of an understanding with Israel regarding the withdrawal of non-Syrian forces from the vicinity of the Israel-Syria border. Last month, following talks with Israeli officials, Russia expressed support for the removal of non-Syrian forces from southwestern Syria. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov endorsed the “withdrawal of all non-Syrian forces” – a long-standing Israeli demand, aimed primarily at Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and its allies, including Hezbollah. Russia has sought to avoid accidental “military incidents” with Israel, and prevent a massive escalation between Israel and Iranian forces in Syria. But according to the SOHR Thursday, Hezbollah has refused Moscow’s demands, and is in fact “renewing its ranks” in western Syria in defiance of Russia’s calls for a withdrawal. Last week, Iranian officials denied claims Tehran was preparing to pull out of Syria. (Arutz-7)