Israeli Troops Push Into South Lebanon

[Judi Lynn]

Israeli Troops Push Into South Lebanon
Israeli Troops Push Into Lebanon to Fight Guerrillas Despite Mounting International Pressure

By LEE KEATH

BEIRUT, Lebanon Jul 19, 2006 (AP)— Israeli troops punched into south Lebanon on Wednesday as warplanes flattened houses and buildings including one thought to hold Hezbollah's top leaders, intensifying an offensive despite mounting international pressure and a Lebanese appeal to spare the country further death and devastation.

The attempt to wipe out the Hezbollah leadership was the most dramatic action on a day that saw Israelis clash with the guerrillas and the Lebanese prime minister say about 300 people in his country had died in the eight-day offensive. Israel broadcast warnings into south Lebanon telling civilians to leave the region, a possible prelude to a larger Israeli ground operation.

Hezbollah, undeterred, fired rockets into the Israeli Arab town of Nazareth, where Jesus is said to have spent his boyhood, killing two Arab brothers, ages 3 and 9, as they played outdoors.

Thousands of foreigners fled Lebanon in one of the largest evacuation operations since World War II, including 1,000 Americans who arrived in Cyprus early Thursday on a rented cruise ship.
(snip/...)

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=2213879

[Purveyor]

1. The israelis couldn't take Lebanon before and retreated and

there are doubts they can do it this time.

All they are creating is 'another' broken country and terrorist recruiting prop.

[Solo_in_MD]

3. They did not try to take Lebanon they tried to pacify the southern

end of the country to stop rocket attacks and cross border raids. This time they are not trying to pacify, they are destroying anything of military value and use while wrecking transportation and communication infrastructure to force the Hezbollah to return the kidnapped soldiers. Hezbollah put the populated areas at risk when they located their facilities, launch sites, munition storage and bunkers there.

[Lindacooks]

4. If you, or anyone else, thinks that bombing the shit out of Lebanon

is going to 'force' Hezbollah to do anything, you're very wrong. All this is doing, besides totally destroying a sovereign country, is creating more terrorists who hate Israel, and the U.S.

[Solo_in_MD]

5. I am not convinced that the IDF is doing the right thing. I was

pointing out that they were taking a different approach that the last time around and unlike the OP's claims the IDF was not thrown out of Lebanon by Hezbollah.

[Hardrada]

6. And losing sympathizers here too.

[AlamoDemoc]

2. here's more.....

Two Israeli soldiers were killed in a clash with Lebanon's Hezbollah in the border area on Wednesday.

In addition, three Israeli soldiers were also wounded in the fierce confrontation on the Lebanese side of the border, al-Jazeera TV reported.

No further details were revealed.

Earlier, an Israeli army spokesman confirmed that Israeli forces exchanged fire with Hezbollah guerillas in southern Lebanon, but refused to give information on casualties.


http://english.aljazeera.net/HomePage