LEBANON: ISRAEL FIRES INTO THE HILLS IN SHEBAA FARMS BORDER AREA AFTER FOUR ISRAELIS WERE INJURED IN HIZBOLLAH ATTACK

Record ID: 400861

  • Title: LEBANON: ISRAEL FIRES INTO THE HILLS IN SHEBAA FARMS BORDER AREA AFTER FOUR ISRAELIS WERE INJURED IN HIZBOLLAH ATTACK
  • Date: 30th June 2005
  • Summary: (BN11) SHEBAA FARMS, LEBANON (JUNE 29, 2005) (REUTERS) 1. LV TANKS IN ISRAELI ARMY POST FIRING INTO HILLS, SMOKE AND DUST RISING; SLV SMOKE RISING FROM HILLSIDE 2. ISRAELI ARMY TANK FIRING INTO HILLS; HUGE CLOUD OF SMOKE RISES ABOVE HILL; ARMY POST WITH SMOKE AROUND 3. HELICOPTER COMING INTO LAND NEAR ARMY AMBULANCES, CLOUD OF DUST RISING
  • Embargoed: 15th July 2005 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: SHEBAA FARMS, LEBANON / KFAR SHOUBA, SOUTH LEBANON
  • Country: Lebanon
  • Reuters ID: LVA6CSFNR91RXD5BA2Y550DN5R6W
  • Story Text: Israel fires into the hills in the Shebaa Farms
    border area after four Israelis injured when Hizbollah
    guerrillas fired rockets and mortar bombs.

    Lebanese Hizbollah guerrillas struck army posts in
    an Israeli-occupied border area on Wednesday (June 29, 2005) and
    said they killed one Israeli soldier in an attack that drew
    air raids from the Jewish state.

    An Israeli security source said there were four Israeli
    casualties but gave no details. Hizbollah's al-Manar
    television reported that one Israeli soldier was killed and
    five were wounded in the fighting in the Shebaa Farms area.

    The Israeli army said that following the Hizbollah
    attack, the air force targeted outposts used by Hizbollah
    to carry out attacks against Israeli targets.

    Witnesses said the warplanes bombed the outskirts of
    two south Lebanese border villages.

    It was the most serious incident in the flashpoint
    Shebaa Farms since Jan. 9, when a Hizbollah attack and
    Israeli retaliatory strikes killed an Israeli officer, a
    French military observer and a Hizbollah guerrilla.

    An Israeli military source said a guerrilla was hit in
    Wednesday's fighting, but could not confirm whether he was
    dead.

    Major-General Benny Ganz, chief of Israel's Northern
    Command, told Israel TV that at 4:30 p.m. (1330 GMT), a
    terrorist squad infiltrated Israeli territory within Har
    Dov (Shebaa Farms). He said that they had hit the squad and
    activity was continuing in the field. He said that as a
    result, Hizbollah fired mortar bombs and rockets in the
    area.

    Black smoke could be seen rising from posts in the
    hilly border enclave after the guerrillas fired rockets and
    mortar bombs at three border posts.

    "An Israeli infantry force crossed the Blue Line
    heading towards Lebanese areas when it hit an advanced
    ambush of the Islamic Resistance," Hizbollah said in a
    statement.

    "Clashes took place with machine guns ... and
    (Hizbollah) inflicted casualties among the enemy's
    soldiers."
    The UN-delineated Blue Line marks Israel's withdrawal
    from south Lebanon and does not represent a permanent
    border.

    Milos Strugar, senior adviser to the United Nations
    observer force in south Lebanon said that there had been
    firing across the Blue Line and that UNIFIL was in contact
    with both sides urging maximum restraint.

    Hizbollah, backed by Iran and Syria, was instrumental
    in ending Israel's 22-year occupation of southern Lebanon
    in 2000. The two foes have clashed sporadically in the
    Shebaa Farms since.

    The fighting in the disputed Shebaa Farms strip is the
    first after the end of Lebanon's first general election
    without a Syrian military presence for 33 years.

    The United Nations says Israel's withdrawal from
    Lebanon is complete and the Shebaa Farms is
    Israeli-occupied Syrian land. Lebanon and Syria say the
    area is still occupied Lebanese soil.

    A UN resolution called last year for Syria to withdraw
    from Lebanon and Hizbollah to disarm. Syrian troops pulled
    out in April under Lebanese and international pressure but
    the guerrilla group vowed not to lay down its weapons as
    long as the disputed Shebaa Farms remains occupied by
    Israeli forces and as long as Israel poses a threat on
    Lebanon.


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