Israel, Hizbullah trade fire on northern border
JPost - Reg Reqâd
In the first attack of its kind in seven months, Hizbullah fired mortars, anti-tank missiles, Katyushas and automatic weapons fire at IDF positions in the Har Dov and Hermon regions on Israelâs northern border with Lebanon Friday morning. The attack, described as âmassiveâ by the IDF spokesperson, commenced at 09:40 AM. IDF artillery units and IAF attack helicopters returned fire.
Iran mustâve ordered a step-up in attacks from just AA shrapnel
Israeli warplanes also responded with heavy air strikes on the eastern, western and southern edges of the Sheba Farms area. No injuries on either side have been reported. The border is quieter now, but sporadic fire still persists. IAF helicopters are still in the area.
quieter = deader?
Foreign media reported that an IDF radar installation was damaged in the attack, but these reports have yet to be confirmed by the IDF. A Lebanese official said on condition of anonymity that Israeli troops responded with artillery fire targeting suspected guerrilla hideouts around the Sheba Farms area. Shell fragments from Hizbullah rockets were reported in western sector of the northern border in the Rosh Hanikra area. There were no injuries and no damage was reported. An Israeli government spokesperson said in reaction to the Hizbullah attack that Israel would have to check if Hizbullah was taking a new direction. "Hizbullah has an insatiable interest in heating up the northern border. We need to check if this incident was encouraged by outside forces who are not happy with the cease-fire, for example Iran; or if weâre talking about a local decision to open fire.
Uh huh..just asking to have that reactor taken out, arenât they?
In any case, the Hizbullah doesnât do anything without a reason," said the spokesperson. A Kiryat Shmona resident said people in Kiryat Shmona were trying to keep to a normal routine. IDF Northern Command suspects that Fridayâs attack is Hizbullahâs response to the killing of one of its activists in a Beirut bomb blast last week. Hizbullah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah has blamed Israel for the activistâs death.
Nasrallah needs a little taste of the IDF as well
Hizbullah released a statement to the media Friday saying its attack on IDF positions in the Har Dov region was carried out by a unit calling itself the "Ali Hussein Saleh Group".
they play Arabic Jazz Tunes, donât they?
Ali Hussein Saleh was killed in a car bomb in the southern suburbs of Beirut on Saturday.
oh...
"The martyr Ali Hussein Salehâs groups in the Islamic Resistance attacked... Zionist enemy positions at the radar, Rouweissat al-Alam and al-Sammaqa using live and rocket weapons and hit them directly," said a Hizbollah statement. Lebanese security forces have detained three men for questioning over Salehâs killing after finding sophisticated radio communication equipment in a building near the dead manâs home, a senior Lebanese army source said, without naming the detainees.
Bad place to be a ham radio operator. Or is a satphone "sophisticated communications equipment"? | "Todayâs operation is part of Hezbollahâs policy and decision to continue the (armed) resistance to liberate our land," Hezbollah legislator Ali Ammar told Abu Dhabi Television. Lebanon, backed by Syria, considers the Sheba Farms area still occupied by Israel as its territory, and Hizbullah has vowed to liberate it. The United Nations says the territory belongs to Syria and should remain under Israeli control until discussions between Syria and Israel.
Posted by: Frank G 2003-08-08 |