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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Epic Battle in Hizballah Tunnels |
| 2006-07-19 |
| Two Israeli troops killed in fierce battle with Hizballah in S. Lebanon Wednesday. One is identified as 1st Sgt. Yonatan Hadasi, 21, Kibbutz Merhavia. The combat between Israeli special forces and Hizballah focused on secret Hizballah tunnels at Maroun er Ras. DEBKAfileÂ’s military sources report the epic battle evolved from a small Israeli special forces operation just inside Lebanon at noon Wednesday, July 19, to blow up Hizballah positions and destroy small fortified tunnels riddling the hills around Maroun er Ras opposite the Israeli town of Safed. Hizballah suffered an unknown number of losses. Reinforcements and medical teams crossed the border and the fighting spreads. DEBKAfileÂ’s military sources report the epic battle evolved from a small Israeli special forces operation just inside Lebanon at noon Wednesday, July 19, to blow up Hizballah positions and destroy small fortified tunnels riddling the hills around Maroun er Ras opposite the Israeli town of Safed. The tunnels were assumed to be unoccupied. The Israel force were horrified to find the first packed with Hizballah fighters heavily armed with automatic and anti-tank weapons. The force took casualties in the first blast of fire. At least one tank was blown up. The combat quickly spread to additional sectors of the warfront, joined by Hizballah fighters who sprang out of more secret tunnels which the Israeli force had not known were there. After several hours of heavy exchanges, IsraelÂ’s top brass and northern command were forced to look at a number of painful facts: 1. Hizballah had pulled the wool over their eyes. While pretending to be forced back by massive Israeli air attacks, its fighters went underground. When chief of staff Dan Halutz and other generals announced the HizballahÂ’s first line of fortifications had been flattened, the line had simply dropped out of sight. Building small tunnels over large areas to conceal small fighter squads was a favorite Vietcong ruse against the Americans in the 1960s and 1970s. 2. Hizballah was not fighting a static war out of the tunnels but working to an organized mobile battle plan. As the fighting grew fierce, and the IDF pumped reinforcements into the battle arena, so too did Hizballah, moving them nimbly from tunnel to tunnel in defensive and offensive roles. 3. By afternoon, the engagement had escalated from a contest over the Maroun er Ras tunnels to a decisive battle between Hizballah and the IDF for control of the Lebanese-Israeli border. 4. The two sides were locked in such close combat that the Israelis were constrained from bringing their helicopter gunships into play for decisive strikes against Hizballah fighters. The same difficulty confronted IDF tank guns. 5. In addition to engaging Israeli special forces at three points in south Lebanon from Maroun er Ras in the east to Rosh Hanikra in the west, Hizballah commandos staged incursions of their own. They made repeated attempts to breach the Israeli border and capture stretches of land in Western Galilee. Israeli forces engaged them in heavy battle Wednesday afternoon at Rosh Hanikra. Hizballah commandos are still battering Israeli posts and forces. 6. True to its usual tactics, Hizballah accompanied its ground action with a massive barrage of some 80 rockets in the space of an hour Wednesday afternoon, July 19 against the towns of Nahariya, Haifa, Upper Galilee, the Hula Valley, Tiberias, Safed and Carmiel. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #48 Indeed, Broadhead6. And more than half of them were expelled from the various Arab countries and Iran after 1948. They would not enjoy the results if the dhimmis they kicked out returned as trained and armed Israelis. ;-) |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2006-07-19 23:32 |
| #47 To Levant - any time you want to step up and play against the Varsity, bring the Islamic Zeal bullshit on over to Iraq - all it does is get Islamofascists like you killed in large numbers. But I doubt you'd last 5 minutes against the Druze, much less the IAF or the US Military or eventhe nascent Iraqi Army (some of them are pretty competent now). And you guys have it wrong - Napalm is not the weapon of choice. Not naplam. But fine aerosol of flammables is just fine. Fills into places that arent normally acessable to a blast, the sudden ignition sucks all the air inward in an implosion (and uses up all the oxygen), then generates huge overpressures as the void is filled. So either you are crushed by the overpressures or killed by suffocation. And even if you manage to live through it, you will be burned severely, deafened, possibly blinded, have smoke damage to your lungs, and yo will be trapped by the collapsed tunnels and rooms that are between you and the entry point. Thermobarics are a tunnelers worst nightmare. Other than that, its DEBKA, so very large grain of salt - they exaggerate things nearly as bad as an Arab. |
| Posted by: Oldspook 2006-07-19 23:29 |
| #46 "The "Israelis" had better go back to Europe and America and do what they are best at doing-making baggels." -Sounds to me like they are doing what they do best; & how exactly would "Israelis" go back to Europe & America? "Israelis" are from Israel - sheesh, what a maroon. |
| Posted by: Broadhead6 2006-07-19 23:12 |
| #45 refills at Home Depot! |
| Posted by: Frank G 2006-07-19 22:39 |
| #44 Anyone remember the tunnel complex underneath the 25th Inf (Tropical Lightning) at Cu Chi? We're also finding a lot more tunnels along the Mexican border. Is naplam still legal? |
| Posted by: Xenophon 2006-07-19 22:36 |
| #43 "propane" Rhino to the rescue! |
| Posted by: RJB in JC MO 2006-07-19 22:01 |
| #42 tunnels spider holes and trenches, bring back Nape!! |
| Posted by: RD 2006-07-19 21:54 |
| #41 I know, I missed out on all the good stuff 'cause I was born too late, Nimble Spemble. But what's a girl to do? I promise, I'm catching up with y'all as fast as I can! ;-) |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2006-07-19 21:54 |
| #40 and withhold the Hostess Dingdongs and bags of chips? You inhumane bastard, Muck! |
| Posted by: Frank G 2006-07-19 21:45 |
| #39 smoke em owt withem ganja |
| Posted by: muck4doo 2006-07-19 20:44 |
| #38 Send in a squad of Rachel Corries |
| Posted by: Turd Burglar 2006-07-19 20:06 |
| #37 Holey Moley! it's a lot bigger than I thought! Back in college, Caterpillar helped pony up some money for a new building on campus. Said building was to be built on top of the dorm I was in. Woke up one morning to see a D8 parked outside. I was on the fourth floor, and I swear I coulda stepped out onto the cage. |
| Posted by: Robert Crawford 2006-07-19 19:19 |
| #36 I see a bourka babe in Ls future. No more movies for you! |
| Posted by: 6 2006-07-19 18:04 |
| #35 Levant kinda reminds me of the kind of critter we had back on 7/8/04 on rantburg-desperate to insult us and frighten us. It gives it a sense of power. *** "Hizballah had pulled the wool over their eyes" should be the first clause of any international settlement, should it come to that. :) |
| Posted by: Jules 2006-07-19 17:37 |
| #34 Levant Do have to give it to you, this one lasted more than 6 days. |
| Posted by: plainslow 2006-07-19 16:59 |
| #33 My favorite Oscar Levant line: "I knwe Doris Day *before* she was a virgin." |
| Posted by: Seafarious 2006-07-19 16:49 |
| #32 The US has all sorts of thermobaric rockets, some with thermal sights to easily pick out tunnel openings. One of the more interesting is a 40mm thermobaric grenade round for use with M203. So every squad has a cave buster. |
| Posted by: ed 2006-07-19 15:57 |
| #31 Thermobaric rifle grenades are extremely useful in a situation like this : they have the reach advantage over the old flamethrowers and overpressure plus heat/flame for damage. Also, propane pumped from canisters under pressure into tunnels is a nasty little surprise. All the Israelis need to do for that one, is raid all the local stores selling BBQ supplies. Then add a few yards of flexible hosing and a remote detonator. If you are a strict traditionalist, old working Soviet flamethrowers are still available on the world arms market. |
| Posted by: Shieldwolf 2006-07-19 15:41 |
| #30 OK, TW. We'll let his hang around. But we should call him Oscar because he was so funny. I loved it when he was on the Jack Parr show. But, I forgot, that was before your time. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2006-07-19 15:38 |
| #29 Yeah, Levant, how come you aren't out there with the boys fighting off the evil bagel making Zionists? |
| Posted by: tu3031 2006-07-19 15:36 |
| #28 Sherry, Lets not forget the Patron Saint of D9's - St. Pancake. Rachel Corrie, an american and jew hating person, just like her parents, went to 'Palistine' to protest the Israli's defending themselves from murders and terrorists. She was standing in front of a house which was used to shuttle weapons so her peace loving palistinians can murder Jews when a D9 came along and demolished the building and literally gave her the title 'St. Pancake'. Personally I think the driver truely didn't see her. |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2006-07-19 15:36 |
| #27 So Levant, what are you? Salafist? Arab Nationalist? |
| Posted by: 11A5S 2006-07-19 15:35 |
| #26 Sounds like a job for "Snake" Pliskin... |
| Posted by: mojo 2006-07-19 15:32 |
| #25 Hey Levant ... it's B-A-G-E-L! Sheesh! |
| Posted by: doc 2006-07-19 15:32 |
| #24 levant, why not go fight for your hezbollah so maybe you'll catch one in the head too |
| Posted by: Thromort Glomoger4987 2006-07-19 15:31 |
| #23 Hizballah suffered an unknown number of losses. Levant, usually when militant/terrorist/your buddies losses are not reported or unknown that does not mean that there werent any. In fact it is usually quite the contrary. |
| Posted by: bool 2006-07-19 15:31 |
| #22 Getting nervous Assad boy? Have you received your Iranian passport yet? It's gonna be real ugly for you when Alawites are overthrown. It's looking 1982 all over again, only over/on/in/through Syria this time. Bombs from 30,000 ft, artillery from 30 km or bullets from 39 meters. It's all good when it kills muslim fanatics. Have you ever ranged a 175mm Long Tom artillery? It was made to chew up cities and Damascus is well within range. We won't even mention the 203mm's. It's brutal. |
| Posted by: ed 2006-07-19 15:30 |
| #21 Anonymoose - 'No' to the chlorine gas - it is a clearcut war crime. Plain old tear gas has been claimed a violation too, but strangely enough, smoke is not, nor is fire to either burn the occupants or consume their air and suffocate them. Oh well. The hard part is identifying hidden tunnel openings and getting access to them. If they are independent tunnels you have to access each one of them against protection from the others - but they have no flexibility. If they are linked, they can move from pressure points, but if you get one you usually get a whole lot. |
| Posted by: glenmore 2006-07-19 15:28 |
| #20 Muslims have a new zeal and fervour to strike terror in the hearts of the enemy. The "Israelis" had better go back to Europe and America and do what they are best at doing-making baggels. Levant baby I have a nice .223 with your name on it - you AND your sympathizers & facilitators here in the US. Bring it, bring it, bring it. |
| Posted by: Secret Master 2006-07-19 15:24 |
| #19 Ladies and gentlemen of Rantburg, I vote we keep the Levant as a pet for the duration, at least so long as he can access the web from Syria. His every post demonstrates the understanding of his compatriots on both sides of the Lebanon/Syria border, and the borders of his ability to grasp reality. Oddly enough, his return here today reminds me of Arab behaviour in all their previous wars with Israel, when they turned to Israeli radio for the truth of the war's progress after tiring of the content-free boasting on the Arab stations. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2006-07-19 15:24 |
| #18 You guys are great! And now, I'm an expert on the D-9. Great link |
| Posted by: Sherry 2006-07-19 15:22 |
| #17 Holey Moley! it's a lot bigger than I thought! Thanks for the link NS. |
| Posted by: Tony (UK) 2006-07-19 15:16 |
| #16 So, "Levant", how many Hezbies have reported for their 72 raisins? |
| Posted by: Rob Crawford 2006-07-19 15:16 |
| #15 Oscar's comment is exactly why I say Israel needs to go in on the ground. He needs to be dead or deaf by the time they leave. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2006-07-19 15:16 |
| #14 Sherry, a D-9 is an armoured bulldozer made by Caterpillar. |
| Posted by: Tony (UK) 2006-07-19 15:15 |
| #13 D-9 |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2006-07-19 15:15 |
| #12 "Epic battle in Hizballah tunnel...two Israeli troops killed in fierce battle..." Let's get the facts straight kiddies-7 Israeli soldiers killed, 16 wounded, three Israeli main battle tanks destroyed. There are no "Hizballah tunnels", for your information. That's propoganda to make you feel good by your brainwashers. The "Israelis" were killed in one of their four repelled and failed incursions into Lebanon. It's strange that the only way the "Israelis" can do any significant damage is from 25,000 feet up in the air-and then they only end up killing innocents as seen on T.V. They think they can win a war like that? Everytime they get into a fight with our Hizbullah the "Israeli" pseudo-soldiers either end up getting kidnapped or killed. And this is now happening everytime the "Israelis" dare to clash with our Hizbullah and Hamas. And the next Middle-East war will be very different from the past one. Muslims have a new zeal and fervour to strike terror in the hearts of the enemy. The "Israelis" had better go back to Europe and America and do what they are best at doing-making baggels. |
| Posted by: the Levant 2006-07-19 15:12 |
| #11 Hey guys? You've mention it before, and I plead dumb to lots of things military, but what is D-9? Thanks |
| Posted by: Sherry 2006-07-19 15:08 |
| #10 The nice thing about tunnels is that by definition everyone in them is a combatant -- or at any rate not an innocent civilian. Don't hold back, IDF! |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2006-07-19 15:06 |
| #9 Find one entrance and rig up a smoke generator to it. Instead of fog oil, rig it to pump chlorine gas. Nobody can hang through chlorine, and just a whiff will get you hopping. It's also readily available. One 55 gallon drum, three tubs of pool chlorine powder and water. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2006-07-19 14:51 |
| #8 Hey, it worked well for Saddam... Think Okinawa and Iwo Jima. Very bad situation. Are flamethrowers in existance anymore? |
| Posted by: Chuck Simmins 2006-07-19 14:37 |
| #7 Sounds like a job for airborne ground penetrating radar and 2000 pounders to loosen a lot of rock. |
| Posted by: ed 2006-07-19 14:31 |
| #6 Reasons why we don't fight from tunnels: 1. few exits. 2. air quality fragile. 3. food, water, and supplies are delivered on a 'top down' basis. 4. the stink of the dead bodies is unforgiving. 5. heavy things and explosions can cause ceiling collapse. 6. just one gun can close the exit indefinitely. 7. digging machines like back hoes and track hoes can bite your head off. 8. exits can be sealed from outside. 9. can't see or breath. 10. no showers. |
| Posted by: wxjames 2006-07-19 14:11 |
| #5 Air drop tons of acorns over the area, then let loose a whole bunch of pigs. |
| Posted by: glenmore 2006-07-19 14:07 |
| #4 Overpressure is called for along with oxygen attachment. Appropriate tools exist and require ignoring the press to use. Alternative that is not as successful is a massed array of D-9s |
| Posted by: 3dc 2006-07-19 13:58 |
| #3 There are ways of clearing tunnels - mostly involving highly explosive liquids and gasses. The key is gaining access to openings, which can be costly if the tunnel complexes are well-engineered with interlocking defenses (as the Japanese built so often.) The question is, how good are the HezbAllah engineers? |
| Posted by: glenmore 2006-07-19 13:56 |
| #2 Shoulda loaned 'em some B-52's. |
| Posted by: BrerRabbit 2006-07-19 13:54 |
| #1 Welcome to Saipan, boys. |
| Posted by: mojo 2006-07-19 13:49 |