( CNN ) -- A series of U.S. diplomatic cables from early this year directly accused Syria of supplying advanced weaponry , including SCUD ballistic missiles , to the Shiite militia Hezbollah in Lebanon . U.S. protests to Damascus met with persistent denials , according to the cables , which were published by the WikiLeaks website . At a meeting in February , according to one cable , a senior U.S. diplomat stressed Washington 's concerns directly with Syrian President Bashar Asad , `` who bluntly stated that he knew of no new weapons systems going to Hezbollah . '' But just a week later , an urgent note from U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to the U.S. Embassy in Damascus said the United States had learned of Syrian plans to supply Hezbollah with SCUD-D ballistic missiles , which would magnify its threat to Israel . Clinton wrote : `` I must stress that this activity is of deep concern to my government , and we strongly caution you ( Syria ) against such a serious escalation . '' To reinforce the point , the cable continues : `` Your interest in avoiding war should require you to exert maximum restraint , including restraining Hezbollah and preventing the group 's acquisition of such lethal , long-range weapons . '' Within 24 hours , the senior U.S. diplomat in Damascus met with the vice foreign minister , Faisal al-Miqdad , to convey Clinton 's message . The cables described him as `` clearly surprised '' by the allegations . `` Flatly denying any Syrian role in the supply of weapons to Hezbollah , Miqdad contended Damascus supported Lebanese independence , '' a cable says , quoting Miqdad as saying : `` You may hear about weapons going to Hezbollah , but they are absolutely not coming through Syria . '' Miqdad then went on the offensive , according to the cable , asking : `` The most sophisticated weapons are coming to Israel , to be used against whom ? '' But the U.S. diplomat in Damascus commented : `` Even a seasoned diplomat like Miqdad could not restrain a raised eyebrow at our mention of the transfer of ballistic missiles to Hezbollah . '' The following day another cable from the secretary of state 's office asked U.S. diplomats to rally support from allies for Washington 's position . It said : `` We want France , Britain , Turkey , Saudi Arabia , Jordan , and Qatar to make a renewed push to echo our concerns with Syria . '' Allies should be told that Washington believed `` Syria has provided or will provide guided short-range ballistic missiles to Hezbollah that could target two-thirds of Israel , including Tel Aviv , from launch sites north of the Litani . '' The Litani is a river in southern Lebanon . `` Our information also indicates that Syria has made advanced surface-to-air missile systems available to Hezbollah and has probably provided training on these systems to Hezbollah personnel , '' the cable continued . In April this year , Israeli officials alleged that the transfer of SCUD-D missiles had gone ahead . At the time , State Department spokesman P.J . Crowley said : `` If such an action has been taken , and we continue to analyze this issue , clearly it potentially puts Lebanon at significant risk . '' So why would Syria provide Hezbollah with weapons that could destabilize an already volatile region ? Another cable tries to answer that question . `` Syrian leaders appear convinced that arming Hezbollah will increase Syria 's leverage in bringing Israel to the negotiating table , '' it says . But the top U.S. diplomat in Damascus suggests in a cable that is misguided . `` Syria 's actions have created a situation in which miscalculation or provocative behavior by Hizballah could prove disastrous for Syria and the broader region , '' he writes . The U.S. assessment is that Hezbollah is far better-armed than it was in 2006 , when it fought a one-month cross-border war against Israel . Referring to its missile and rocket armories , a cable from November 2009 says : `` This capability , if fully used , would represent a quantum leap over the damage and psychological terror Hezbollah rockets caused in northern Israel during the 2006 war . '' Regional analysts believe that Hezbollah has some 40,000 rockets as well as up to a dozen SCUD-Ds from Syria .
SCUD ballistic missiles would increase Hezbollah 's threat to Israel . Comment: U.S. protests to Damascus were met with persistent denials , according to the cables .