Hizbollah rocket hits Israeli city of Haifa-army

[sabra]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L13820258.htm

13 Jul 2006 17:03:44 GMT

HIZBOLLAH ROCKET HITS ISRAELI CITY OF HAIFA - RESCUE SERVICE

[dave29]

1. CNN: Rockets have hit Haifa

http://www.cnn.com/

Two rockets fired from Lebanon hit the northern Israeli port city of Haifa, the Israel Defense Forces said.

[Seabiscuit]

2. Well, you know the old saying about living by the sword... n/t

[winter999]

9. Yep. Bye-bye

Hamas. Bye-bye Hezbolla. For a people who say they want peace and are against occupation, the Palestinians are doing everything they can to force Israel to reoccupy.

[maryallen]

43. "Force??" Israel? Uh, ...

I get it:
"Don't throw me in that briar patch ..."

[maxsolomon]

53. then don't re-occupy

the IDF is probably smart enough not to make that mistake.

just fuck it up good & leave.

[Poll_Blind]

4. There are almost certainly some Israeli nukes in Haifa, FYI.

Part of their submarine deterrent. Whether they're all out to sea at the moment or not, a chilling thought.

PB

[truthisfreedom]

5. sounds like a direct response to bush's "pathetic" comment. sharp one,

that bushie.

[VolcanoJen]

3. It feels like the early 80's all over again!

I think I'll go listen to Culture Club.

[Cerridwen]

6. Don't forget your spandex...oh it's gonna be a loverly day :(

[paparush]

8. "do you really want to hurt me? Do you really wanta make me cry?"

[Seabiscuit]

48. Groovy, baybee... Oh, Behave!

[ugarte]

7. The tragic thing is, Israel will end up swapping prisoners anyway

and all these deaths will have been for nothing, as usual.

[Englander]

10. Hezbollah fires rockets at Haifa

The militant Lebanese group Hezbollah has fired rockets at the Israeli port city of Haifa, reports say.

There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage.

Haifa, Israel's third largest city, is situated more than 30km (18 miles) from the Lebanese border and was thought to be out of Hezbollah's range.

The attack comes as Israel imposes an air and sea blockade on Lebanon, following the capture of two of its soldiers by the militant group.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/5178058.stm

[uppityperson]

11. BBC has it too

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5178058.stm

Hezbollah fires rockets at Haifa

The militant Lebanese group Hezbollah has fired rockets at the Israeli port city of Haifa, reports say. There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage.

Haifa, Israel's third largest city, is situated more than 30km (18 miles) from the Lebanese border and was thought to be out of Hezbollah's range. The attack comes as Israel imposes an air and sea blockade on Lebanon, following the capture of two of its soldiers by the militant group.

[sabra]

12. Rocket hit on Haifa "major, major escalation"-Israeli diplomat

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/WAT006035.htm



WASHINGTON, July 13 (Reuters) - A rocket hit on the Israeli port city of Haifa was a "major, major escalation" in the situation, the Israeli ambassador to the United States said on Thursday.

Ambassador Daniel Ayalon was in the middle of a lunch with reporters in Washington when he was told the news. The Israeli army said a rocket fired by Lebanese armed group Hizbollah hit the city.

"This is a major, major escalation," Ayalon said.

[High Plains]

34. "Major, major escalation"--isn't that what Israel did yesterday?

Hezbollah attacks an Israeli army patrol, taking prisoners, so Israel bombs Beirut Airport and other civilian infrastructure, Lebanese military bases, etc. And now they whine about escalation?

Israel's response was grossly disproportionate. I don't want my tax dollars paying for this.

[regnaD kciN]

55. Of course not, because...

...whatever Israel does is always self-defense. :sarcasm:

For the record, I have no problem with Israel sending troops into southern Lebanon to go after the Hezbollah guerrillas who have been attacking them. I have major problems with them using it as an excuse to destroy Lebanon's infrastructure. Lebanon's government is "too weak" to deal with Hezbollah? Then go after them yourself. Don't go after Lebanon's government instead, thereby making it even weaker.

Of course, this isn't the first time Israel's government has adopted that strategy -- one can recall the second intifada, when, every time Hamas staged an attack against Israel, the response would be to attack the Palestinian Authority (at the time under the control of Hamas' opponent Fatah) and especially the PA security forces who were trying to stop Hamas. Hmmm...it seems like there are those in power in Israel who don't want moderates in Arab countries to succeed in reining-in extremists. After all, if extremists are in the ascendancy, that would provide a blank check for continued and expanding occupation, right? Why, it would be merely..."self-defense." :grr:

[Seabiscuit]

49. Isreal responds by appointing Major Major Major Major to oversee

military operations.

[RoseMead]

54. And Milo Minderbinder

will supply the troops. Cause in the syndicate, we all have a share. :)

[progressivebydesign]

56. I'd say bombing Lebanon was THE major escalation.

Such bullshit.

[AnOhioan]

13. Not good

Israel may now retaliate by hitting Beirut proper. This situation is dangerously close to a regional war involving Israel, the Arab states, and eventually, the other world powers.


Edit for spelling

[MrPrax]

14. Isn't this IP?

Why is it posted in LBN or has there been another rule change? I didn't notice one...

[tkmorris]

15. Is it not news? Is it not Late Breaking?

I don't understand what your issue would be here. You wanna keep it quiet?

[MrPrax]

27. But...

I didn't make the rules...the new mods must not be aware that unless there is a particular aspect to the story that is

"7. Discussion of Israeli/Palestinian issues is not permitted in the Latest Breaking News forum, and instead must be posted in the Israeli/Palestinian Affairs forum. If, however, the news item is primarily about U.S. policy in Israeli/Palestinian affairs, you may post it in the Latest Breaking News forum.

Since you are a donor and a frequent poster, then you must know about this rule...which I think is probably a good thing given the emotions of this topic.

[UpInArms]

29. Beirut is not Palestinian affairs .... eom

[Name removed]

31. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[sabra]

33. who are you referring to?

[Baclava]

35. It was a bad joke

forget it

[High Plains]

36. We're not talking about Palestine today.

But the Israeli killing continues there, too.

[Marie26]

37. This is the most important

story today, & maybe the most important story this year. Doesn't seem much point in having a "Latest Breaking News" forum where you can't read the latest breaking news.

[MrPrax]

38. One would have thought

that the initial kidnapping was the MORE important story 'this year' as this is simply a military response? What makes it important?

[Marie26]

39. Dear God

The kidnapping of two soldiers is sad for their families; the latest events are sad for the world. This was a major offensive by Isreal that attacked another country & could possibly begin a full-fledged war between Israel & Lebanon. The rockets fired at Haifa represent another step towards total war. And you don't think that's news? Every major news organization disagrees w/you.

[Posteritatis]

42. Arab-Israeli War VI kinda trumps the kidnapping...

even if the kidnappings caused it. This is far from "simply a military response" at this point.

[MrPrax]

46. Yup...

seems pre-planned -- don't it?

But I was commenting on the statement: This is the most important story today, & maybe the most important story this year.

Given what this thread is about...one has a hard time thinking that THIS rocket attack is most important than the 'other' rocket attacks on either side? The Israeli response has been overkill and apparantly to no avail -- which doesn't seem to bother the most vocal supporters of Israel who claim that Israel is protecting itself. Rather than bomb the Beirut airport up north, maybe they should be targetting a little closer to the border region, no?

These rockets are falling AFTER the incursion...sounds like a military failure to me...one of a string of many miscaluclations on the part of the Israeli army and it's intelligence.

It's just illogical even for the Israeli supporter, that's all.

[Posteritatis]

47. Decent general staffs pre-plan everything

That's their purpose - to make sure any conflicts they end up fighting aren't ad-hoc affairs that tend to turn out worse in the end. The fact doesn't offend me in the least; if you've got the time and folks to think about such things, it's dreadfully irresponsible not to.

I don't think Israel decided three months ago to invade Lebanon this week or anything, but I'd assume there's a filing cabinet someplace with a whole lot of war plans for a variety of situations, and that this is "Comprehensive Anti-Hezbollah Campaign #8-C" or something like that.

[allemand]

16. Hezbollah denies firing Katyusha rockets at Haifa (Haaretz)

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/ShTickers.html

The Hezbollah leadership knows that this is indeed a `major, major escalation`, that's why they issue a denial, but who else could have fired those rockets? Have they lost control over their field commanders?

[JesterCS]

17. Hezbollah denies it fired rockets at the Israeli city of Haifa

Reuters Reporting. CNN.com main banner.

I also noticed they have " Acts Of War " in nice big black letters above their main story. Things are "spinning" out of control

[Windy]

18. Let me guess..... Iran did it?

Even if they didn't, that will be the call...mark my words

[JesterCS]

20. that would certainly

keep with our administration's rhetoric wouldnt it

[Marie26]

28. As the missiles flew over Iraq?

Doubtful that Israel would even try to claim that.

[Skink]

40. My first thought Bin Laden might take responsibility.

[MrPrax]

45. You'd think so...

but oddly enough AQ never seems to make the Israeli-Palestinian 'narrative'

The last tape OBL made, even though Israel was ripping up the Gaza strip and had just killed a whole bunch of Palestinians kids on a beach, OBL was uncharacteristically (or very characteristically depending on what one thinks AQ and OBL might really be) talking about...Somalia?

Rather odd for an organization that is the world's biggest Israel hater, a group capable of carrying out attacks anywhere at anytime including the Sears Tower!,a group that the average American lives in utter fear of, nevertheless, seems to ignore Israel.

I guess Israel security is such that it doesn't have to worry about AQ and so AQ never announces it's sending its many foreign fighters there to cause 'terrorism'...as opposed to the US which has had it's embassies and naval vessels as well as it's cities attacked by the group.

Maybe Israel should run US security -- they seem to have AQs number

[Seabiscuit]

50. Nah, it was Saddam chucking Scud missiles again.

[ender]

19. and its 1, 2, 3 ... what are we fighting for...

whopeee, we're all going to die.

[Robbien]

21. Something sure is spinning, and as usual it is the media

be afraid, be very afraid- - -of the propaganda spinning ahead at full tilt.

[Minnesota Libra]

22. Of course Hezbollah will deny firing rockets at Israel just as Israel.....

.....will deny doing anything to provoke Hezbollah or anyone else. This isn't news, it's propaganda - both sides partake of it. The old say of "there's my side, their side, and the truth" comes to mind in this situation.

[JesterCS]

25. reminds me of a passage in a book

Its Called the Gray Fallacy. One side says white, the other says black, the populus sees Gray. Its lazy thinking.

[uppityperson]

23. the Clenis did.

or Iran, you know, all those Jews in Iran who are propogating the violence? I am so sick of the news propaganda today. That was all sarcasm except for the sentiment

[halobeam]

24. Think Americans are going to want to back Israel?

Oh thats right... who gives a crap what the American people want. This sucks.. OUT LOUD !!! plain and simple.

[dubyaD40web]

26. Link

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/07/13/mideast/index.html

[MrPrax]

32. No kidding about spin...

Up to this point, they never had a Katyusha rocket that could go that far...now apparantly they do?

Lemme think...these 'new' rockets will ultimately find their pedigree back to Iran which have one capable of going 60 kms. (Dawn-3 or the Fahr-3 which one of the darlings of right militarists when they discuss Iran's military might)

But those are much bigger of course and so one then wonders that why Israel has been on an offensive throughout Lebanon, while they allow 'hundreds' to rain down from the border region. Why they are bombing the Beirut airport, when they have batteries of 'large' rockets raining down on them seems a rather odd military tactic...?

Could it be that Israel has a security breach and the Haifa bombing was actually conventional -- it seems that the military strategy here doesn't really match the 'stated' goals of providing security and seems more like an irrational ME regime that is desparately spinning propaganda about it's rather aggressive act of opening up a war on two separate fronts.

[Skink]

41. So the rockets came from Iran...

Yikes:scared:

[progressivebydesign]

58. How convEEEnient! WHy is bush always out of town for this stuff?

Hmmmmm....

[IronLionZion]

44. No injuries, so how do we know they really fired rockets?

I find it highly unlikely that a militant group like Hezbollah has rockets that can go that far.

psssh...as if Israeli air defenses won't intercept the rockets in time.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

52. Do they usually deny such things? -nt

[progressivebydesign]

57. it's okay cuz Bush is in Germany (conveniently) eating BBQ. n/t

[David__77]

30. Hmm...

...it's nothing compared with the assaults on the occupied territory and Lebanon.

[cracksquirrel]

51. Good.

The whole point from Israel's perspective is to keep things disproportional. If there were an equilibrium of force between Israel and its enemies then... well... I believe a certain internet meme relating to middleeastern subjects goes: "glass parking lot."