ISRAEL/LEBANON: Moning mood on day 25 of Mideast Crisis

Record ID: 401338

  • Title: ISRAEL/LEBANON: Moning mood on day 25 of Mideast Crisis
  • Date: 5th August 2006
  • Summary: (W2) MATULA, ISRAEL (AUGUST 5, 2006) (REUTERS) WIDE SHOT SOLDIERS AND TANKS NEAR BORDER SOLDIER READING ATOP OF TANK VIEW OF TANK MORE OF SOLDIERS AND ARMOURED VEHICLES IN AREA
  • Embargoed: 20th August 2006 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: Defence / Military
  • Reuters ID: LVA8WPRLWYGHYZQ9AL4VFF6JJTJL
  • Story Text: As day 25 looms on the Middle East crisis, battles between Israel and the Lebanese Islamic guerilla group Hizbollah intensified on Saturday (August 5).
    On Saturday morning a barrage of Hizbollah rockets fired from Lebanon wounded five people north of the Israeli city of Haifa, medics said.
    Police said 10 rockets smashed into the northern outskirts of Israel's third largest city, damaging cars and buildings.
    Hizbollah has stepped up rocket attacks in recent days.
    On Friday (August 4), two missiles landed in open areas near the city of Hadera, about 80 km (50 miles) from the Lebanese border. That marked the deepest strike yet since the war with Hizbollah erupted more than three weeks ago.
    The guerrillas have fired more 2,500 rockets into northern Israel, killing 30 civilians.
    Hizbollah said the latest strikes were in retaliation for Israeli attacks that had killed civilians in Lebanon.
    Eight Israeli commandos were wounded, two seriously, in an operation overnight against Hizbollah guerrillas suspected of firing longer range missiles at Israel from near the Lebanese city of Tyre, the army said.
    The head of Israel's northern command, Major-General Udi Adam, told Israel Radio the operation near Tyre in southern Lebanon was also an attempt to target senior Hizbollah figures in the area. He did not give details.
    An army spokesman said eight elite naval commandos were wounded in the fighting. A "good number" of Hizbollah fighters were killed, he added. Army Radio put the number of guerrillas killed at seven.
    The army spokesman said the operation was launched against guerrillas believed responsible for firing missiles at the Israeli city of Hadera on Friday. Israeli media said the commandos had attacked from helicopters, although the spokesman would not confirm this.
    The spokesman said Hizbollah had used the area near Tyre for other longer range rocket attacks on Israel.
    Attack helicopters provided cover for the Tyre operation, the spokesman said.
    Lebanese security sources said four civilians and a Lebanese army soldier were killed in fighting in citrus groves just north of the city. Hizbollah said one Israeli soldier had been killed and many wounded in the battle.
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