The Head of Lebanese militant group Hezbollah has declared that Syria has real friends who will not let it fall to the US, Israel or Islamic radicals.

Hassan Nasrallah said Syria's opposition was too weak to bring down Bashar al-Assad's regime militarily.

He was speaking in an address broadcast on Hezbollah's TV station al-Manar Tuesday night.

“A large number [of rebels] were preparing to capture villages inhabited by Lebanese... so it was normal to offer every possible and necessary aid to help the Syrian army,” Mr. Nasrallah was quoted as saying by AFP news agency.

The Hezbollah leader said it had never hidden its martyrs, but that reports that large numbers of its fighters had been killed were lies.

He also warned that if a key Shia shrine south of Damascus - that was named after Sayyida Zeinab, a granddaughter of Prophet Muhammad - were to be destroyed, it would spark revenge that could get out of control.

“If the shrine is destroyed things will get out of control,” he said.

Nasrallah also addressed accusations that Iranian Forces were taking part in the Syrian clashes. “Everyone knows there are no Iranian Forces in Syria but only experts,” Nasrallah said.

Lastly, he denied reports that Hezbollah launched the drone the Israeli Air Force shot down over Haifa bay last week, the Lebanese Daily Star reported.

“Hezbollah has the courage to bear the responsibility of any action it makes, especially when it is related to the Israeli enemy,” Nasrallah said.

He warned Israel against committing “any folly” in Lebanon. “Who assumes that the resistance is weak and vague is mistaken, and I warn the enemy, and the sides standing behind it, from committing any folly in Lebanon, because the resistance is alert, prepared, and determined to defend Lebanon,” he said.