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Boom
07-24-06, 11:40
Israeli Ground Forces Push Deeper Into Lebanon
Monday, July 24, 2006

Fox News:

ON THE ISRAEL-LEBANON BORDER — Heavy fighting erupted Monday as Israeli ground forces pushed further into Lebanon, entering another Hezbollah stronghold, as more Hezbollah rockets rained down on northern Israel.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said an Israeli helicopter also crashed in northern Israel while making an emergency landing, causing two casualties and starting a large brush fire atop a hill. It said the crash was caused by a technical problem, not enemy fire.

After fierce fighting, Israeli troops took control of a hilltop in Bint Jbail, but the rest of the Lebanese town remained under the control of Hezbollah guerrillas, the IDF said. Bint Jbail was described as a symbolic location for Hezbollah because its leader had made a defiant speech there after Israel ended its occupation of southern Lebanon in 2000.

Israeli artillery units continuously lobbed shells into Lebanon to provide cover for the ground operations. Frequent explosions and gunfire could be heard in southern Lebanon from the Israeli side of the border, and smoke rose over the area.

It said at least one Israeli tank was hit by incessant Hezbollah fire and that 10 soldiers were wounded in the fighting. Hezbollah guerrillas were firing mortars into northern Israeli and anti-tank missiles at Israeli forces, the IDF said.

Israeli tanks and armored bulldozers were seen heading toward the battle, but two tanks also traversed the rocky hills at high speed, crossing back into Israel to carry wounded soldiers out. The wounded were taken to civilian ambulances, which sped off toward hospitals with sirens blaring.

The military said it captured two Hezbollah guerrillas, and Israeli media said attacks by Israel's air force had caused some Hezbollah casualties.

Bint Jbail, a major town, is about 1.25 miles north of the hilltop village of Maroun al-Ras, another Hezbollah center. Over the weekend, Israeli ground troops fought for control of Maroun al-Ras, which is less than 500 yards from the border.

"Bint Jbail is a symbol of Hezbollah. Remember that (Sheik Hassan) Nasrallah's famous speech was in Bint Jbail," said army Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Dan Halutz.

The army said it was expanding its ground operation in Lebanon, which had been limited during the two-week offensive to pinpoint operations near the border — a policy that military analysts said may well be insufficient to achieve Israel's goal of pushing Hezbollah back and destroying its ability to attack Israel.

"The scope continues to grow in recent days," Brig. Gen. Alon Friedman told Israel Army Radio. "We are advancing."

Friedman said the operation would continue for up to 10 days "in order to achieve the basic goals we set down," including trying to stop Hezbollah rocket fire.

Hezbollah guerrillas also continued their barrage of rocket attacks on northern Israel Monday, firing at least 26 Katyushas across the border, according to officials. At least one person was wounded in the town of Shlome.

Smoke rose from several locations where rockets landed in the town of Kiryat Shmona. Rescue officials said there was no major damage or casualties.

Halutz, touring an army induction base in Tel Aviv, said there were still concerns that Hezbollah rockets could strike deep into Israel, hitting the city, which is Israel's financial center.

The Israeli military said that during the past 24 hours its planes had hit more than 270 targets across Lebanon, including 21 missile launchers, more than 50 Hezbollah buildings and Hezbollah communication lines.

The army said it captured two Hezbollah guerrillas, the first it had taken any into custody during the fighting. "When the enemy surrenders, we take them prisoner. The two prisoners are located in Israel and will be held here with the aim of interrogating them," said Friedman.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was traveling to the Middle East on Monday to discuss the crisis with officials. She was to meet Monday night with Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and on Tuesday with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

On Sunday 95 rockets were fired into Israel, killing two people in the city of Haifa, the military said.

Israel launched its operation in Lebanon after Hezbollah guerrillas killed three soldiers and captured two others in a cros-s-border raid on July 12.

Before Israel's capture of two of its fighters, Hezbollah leaders had demanded that Israel release Palestinian and Hezbollah prisoners to win freedom for the two captured Israeli soldiers. Israel has ruled out talks, demanding the unconditional return of its soldiers, but it has negotiated such exchanges in the past.

At least 381 people have been killed in Lebanon, including 20 soldiers and 11 Hezbollah fighters, according to security officials. Hundreds of thousands of Lebanese have fled their homes.

Israel's death toll stands at 37, with 17 people killed by Hezbollah rockets and 20 soldiers killed in the fighting. Sixty-eight soldiers have been wounded, and 255 civilians injured by rocket fire, officials said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

M4arc
07-24-06, 12:07
It's really heating up over there.

BravoCompanyUSA
07-24-06, 12:33
After Israel goes through and attempts to clean out Southern Lebenon of Hezbollah, I wonder if there will be a DMZ and who will secure it ?

And after the areas of Southern Lebenon are secured by Israel, how do they go about getting their captured soldiers back ?

VA_Dinger
07-24-06, 12:42
I don't think they will stay long. Remember that the 1982 invasion and occupation was the IDF's "Vietnam". It was eighteen years of hard fought guerilla warfare on the enemy’s home turf. It was also a serious drain the Israeli economy that is shaky at best right now. I also only see this as short-term band-aid. Hezbollah will most likely only leave a relatively small blocking force to fight in southern Lebanon. Their leadership and the majority of their forces will just flee north out of harms way. Only to return after the IDF pulls back. That’s the hard part of fighting a guerrilla/terrorist force that has a safe haven to run to when in trouble. They will then scream "Victory" after the IDF pulls back and gain more support for their own people and outside funding from the Arab world for "Standing up to Israel”. This has all happened before.

Lebanon is one messed up place.

I have at least thirty books on these subjects if anybody wants to barrow a few just ask

SuicideHz
07-24-06, 15:08
The UN is going to establish peace in Northern Israel and Southern Lebanon, so they say. The U.S. Ambassador (?) to the UN was being laughed at on the television last night while being interviewd by O'Reilly (I think.)

The UN passed some resolution 3 years ago and are "trying to put it into effect."

I also heard that somehow France is the European nation with the most influence over Lebanon. What a funny theme...:mad:

Chili
07-24-06, 15:32
I don't think they will stay long. Remember that the 1982 invasion and occupation was the IDF's "Vietnam". It was eighteen years of hard fought guerilla warfare on the enemy’s home turf. It was also a serious drain the Israeli economy that is shaky at best right now. I also only see this as short-term band-aid. Hezbollah will most likely only leave a relatively small blocking force to fight in southern Lebanon. Their leadership and the majority of their forces will just flee north out of harms way. Only to return after the IDF pulls back. That’s the hard part of fighting a guerrilla/terrorist force that has a safe haven to run to when in trouble. They will then scream "Victory" after the IDF pulls back and gain more support for their own people and outside funding from the Arab world for "Standing up to Israel”. This has all happened before.

Lebanon is one messed up place.

I have at least thirty books on these subjects if anybody wants to barrow a few just ask

Unfortunatley, I think you are spot on, they're cowards.

I wish the "powers that be" in the US would take lessons in retaliation from Israel though. What happens when US has soldiers captured.................crickets chirping............................NOT A DAMN THING

VA_Dinger
07-24-06, 16:16
The UN is going to establish peace in Northern Israel and Southern Lebanon, so they say. The U.S. Ambassador (?) to the UN was being laughed at on the television last night while being interviewd by O'Reilly (I think.)

The UN passed some resolution 3 years ago and are "trying to put it into effect."

I also heard that somehow France is the European nation with the most influence over Lebanon. What a funny theme...:mad:

The U.N. is completely powerless. Unless both sides want to stop they could not do a damn thing about it.

France would probably be the European nation with the most clout, but it's still extremely limited. Lebanon is a very fragmented country that has been scared and badly torn apart by damn near forty years of civil war, fractional in fighting for turf and political concessions, and destabilizing outside influences.

The Lebanese central government & Army are extremely weak. Neither would actively confront any of the larger groups because it would cause another civil war that they are bound to lose. Not to mention that they really don't actively control that much of the country anyway. Each of the various factions controls sections of Lebanon and that does not leave much. They only stay in power by following a live and let live policy.

Destabilizing Outside Influences:

Syria – Trains & supports Hizbullah (Shia Muslems)
Iran – Trains & supports Hizbullah (Shia Muslems)
Israel – Trains & supports Christian militias
Saudi Arabia & Persian Gulf states – Support Hamas (Mostly a Palestinian militant/terrorist/political organization)

Kind of dated now:
Iraq – Trained & supported the PLO
Libya - Trained & supported the PLO
Old Soviet Union – Actively supported the Druze militias & PLO

Plus Lebanon has a huge number of smaller groups ranging from old style Communists to non-secular pro Arab groups that switch alliances frequently just to cause trouble for the others and to better their own position. I cannot name all of them off the top of my head, but trust me there are probably close to fifty that can cause problems. Almost every one of them has at least one-armed militia under their control. Usually receiving training, arms, and money from an outside force.

Like I said, Lebanon is a mess.