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Lebanon: Nasrallah, Dead or Alive?
The Israeli air force targeted a Hezbollah bunker in the Bourj al-Barajneh section of southern Beirut, Lebanon, on July 19. Senior Hezbollah leaders are thought to have been in the bunker, which is located in a Palestinian refugee camp. Dozens of aircraft participated in the operations, in which 23 tons of explosives were dropped. This operation was evidently aimed at a high-value Hezbollah target, such as the groupÕs leader and chief planner, Hassan Nasrallah. Following the raid, the Israeli NRG Maariv Web site reported that information obtained by security forces revealed Nasrallah was in the bunker at the time of the attack. Hezbollah TV countered, saying none of its leaders were killed in the airstrike.There is no confirmation yet whether the Hezbollah leader was killed. The next 24 hours will be telling, as Hezbollah will be under intense pressure to produce an audio or video broadcast to prove Nasrallah is still alive. If Hezbollah remains quiet in the following hours, we can bet he is dead. Nasrallah's death would serve as a precursor to an impending Israeli ground assault. Israel would likely activate its plans to send its forces across the border for a major offensive against Hezbollah bases while the militant group's morale is at its lowest upon learning its notorious leader has been eliminated. Posted by: Steve 2006-07-20 |
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