Israel launches fresh raid
Pastor Dale Morgan
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Israel launches fresh raid*
Staff and agencies
Saturday August 19, 2006
Observer.co.uk
Israel launched a raid deep inside Lebanon overnight, in what the
Lebanese Prime Minister called a 'flagrant violation' of the UN-brokered
ceasefire between the sides.
The Israeli army reported that one Israeli soldier was killed in the
ensuing clash with Hizbullah, while Lebanese sources told Reuters that
three Hizbollah fighters were killed. A Hizbollah spokesman denied that
there were any deaths among his fighters.
Israel said the pre-dawn assault outside the eastern town of Baalbek was
aimed at disrupting arms smuggling to Hizbollah from Iran and Syria.
Witnesses said Israeli missiles destroyed a bridge during the raid - the
first such air strike since the ceasefire began.
The Lebanese Prime Minister, Fouad Siniora, described the commando raid
as a 'flagrant violation' of the ceasefire, and said he would take the
issue up with UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan.
Under the ceasefire terms, Israel has said it will conduct defensive
operations if its troops are threatened. But the raid took place far
from positions of Israeli troops in southern Lebanon.
The Israeli military said such operations would continue until 'an
effective monitoring unit' was in place to prevent Hizbollah from
rebuilding its arsenal.
'If the Syrians and Iran continue to arm Hizbollah in violation of the
[UN ceasefire] resolution, Israel is entitled to act to defend the
principle of the arms embargo,' insisted Israeli foreign ministry
spokesman, Mark Regev.
'Once the Lebanese army and the international forces are active ... then
such Israeli activity will become superfluous.'
Such a bold operation, risking the ceasefire, suggested Israel was going
after a major target near Baalbek - perhaps to rescue the two Israeli
soldiers - Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev - captured by Hizbollah on
July 12, or to try to capture a senior guerrilla official to trade for
the soldiers.
Hizbollah has said it wants to exchange the two soldiers for Arab
prisoners, but the UN ceasefire resolution demands the guerrilla group
unconditionally release the soldiers.
Peacekeepers arrive
The first reinforcement of United Nations peacekeepers - 49 French
soldiers - landed on the Lebanese port of Naqoura, about five kilometres
(three miles) from the Israeli border.
Two inflatable dinghies carried the first troops ashore from two French
warships anchored at Naqoura, while two French military helicopters
hovered overhead.
They were followed 10 minutes later by a larger landing craft flying a
French flag. The arriving troops were already wearing light blue helmets
- the UN's signature colour - and bullet-proof vests. Some 150 more
French troops are expected next week.
"Today this is the first step ... France is the first country to deploy
additional troops in the region," said Bertrand Bonneau, a spokesman for
the French contingent.
Those who arrived today were de-mining teams and military engineers who
would focus on clearing unexploded ordnance from large swaths of south
Lebanon, he said.
They also brought 14 French military vehicles, mostly armoured personnel
carriers, bulldozers, trucks and one jeep, he said.
'The intention is to build up the force to 3,500 people [in the next two
weeks],' said Brigadier General JP Nehra, the Deputy Force Commander for
the United Nations Interim Force In Lebanon (Unifil). The whole force of
about 15,000 multinational troops would arrive within three months, he
added.
Asked about Unifil's rules of engagement, Brigadier Nehra said: 'At the
moment these are being worked out ... of course there will be situations
where the force may have to use force.'
The French troops were the first reinforcements to Unifil, tasked with
keeping the peace in south Lebanon. Some 15,000 Lebanese soldiers were
being deployed alongside them.