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| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| Security cabinet opposed to expanded ground operation |
| 2006-07-27 |
| In a special meeting Thursday on the IDF's operations in Lebanon, most of the members of the security cabinet expressed their opposition to expanding ground missions, as per the army's request, and it appeared unlikely that IDF plans would be approved. Olmert needs to make sure his cabinet doesn't go wobbly. Meanwhile, no heavy fighting was reported Thursday morning as IDF troops headed towards the center of Bint Jbail, where on Wednesday a well-planned Hizbullah ambush on the outskirts of the southern Lebanese village devastated Battalion 51 of the Golani Brigade, leaving eight soldiers, including three officers, dead and 24 wounded. Israel is getting too skittish about accepting any casualties. It is one thing not to lose the Army. It is another to not accept the inevitable casualties of war. Dozens of Hizbullah gunmen armed with antitank missiles and machine guns and geared up in night-vision goggles and bulletproof vests set a trap for a force of Golani infantrymen led by Lt.-Col. Yaniv Asor, commander of Battalion 51. At 5 a.m. Wednesday, Asor and his men asked the Golani command center for permission to enter an area of the outskirts of Bint Jbail. Col. Tamir Yidai, commander of the brigade, gave the green light for the operation. Asor and his men moved quickly through approximately 15 one-story homes. But as the troops moved through the narrow alleyways, a strong Hizbullah force sent a wave of gunfire and missiles at the force, killing and wounding several soldiers in the first moments of the fight. As Asor and his men fought to regain control of the situation, other Hizbullah cells outflanked them and opened fire on the force as well as other IDF positions in the town. The battle lasted for several hours during which Asor and his men sustained heavy casualties and killed at least 40 Hizbullah guerrillas, some in gunbattles at point-blank range. Then the evacuation of the wounded began, which lasted six hours due to incessant enemy fire. Four IAF helicopter pilots risked their lives by landing in enemy territory. Men from the Golani's elite reconnaissance unit and from Battalion 51 carried stretchers with their wounded comrades for three kilometers to the helicopters, which landed for just under one minute at a time beneath a cover of smoke grenades and massive artillery fire before taking off to evacuate the wounded to Israeli hospitals. Meanwhile at the Golani Brigade's command center, emotions ran high as word came in of the fierce gunbattle and the heavy casualties. Soldiers ran back and forth with maps and officers screamed into encrypted cellular phones coordinating the evacuation of the wounded. At one point, Brig.-Gen. Gal Hirsh, commander of Division 91, stepped out of the command center to update Chief of General Staff Lt.-Gen. Dan Halutz. "We can't land the helicopters," he said. "The fighting is too intense." On Tuesday, things in the town had looked entirely different. The IDF, senior officers announced matter-of-factly, had it surrounded and were in control of the town. "The town is in our control," Hirsh said Tuesday. "The work is almost completed and the terrorists are fleeing." Some terrorists, however, seem to have remained, with deadly results. The Golani's fight didn't end the combat Bint Jbail. Wednesday evening, after the IDF had once again declared it had secured the town, a Paratrooper force nearby was hit by a Sagger antitank missile. One officer was killed and three soldiers were wounded in the attack and in the gunfight that ensued. A high-ranking source in the Northern Command told The Jerusalem Post Wednesday that Bint Jbail could not be attacked by air since there were still several hundred civilians there. The officer said that the fighting in the town would continue at least for a day or two. Israel has to get tougher. Civilians should have been long gone and given Hezb'Allah's composition, it is quesionable whether anyone still in town was really a civilian or Hezb'Allah support. OC Northern Command Maj.-Gen. Udi Adam said that the war in Lebanon would continue for several more weeks. "There will unfortunately be more days like this," Adam told reporters. "We need to achieve our goal to completely overcome Hizbullah." A senior Hizbullah official, Mahmoud Komati, told The Associated Press Wednesday that IDF forces had managed to seize a few points inside Bint Jbail, but had not yet taken the town center. The IDF said several Hizbullah fighters had taken cover in a mosque. Why is it so hard to just let the IAF to drop the mosque. It's not like they will get worse publicity from the MSM. Komati denied fighters were taking cover in a mosque and suggested the people involved may be civilians. "Fighters don't take shelter in mosques. They fight on the battlefield. If they can't, they retreat, but not to mosques," said. Rahhal, a Hizbullah spokesman, angrily responded to a question about the mosque refuge. "What's the Israelis business that our fighters were in the mosque? Maybe they were praying at the time!" he said. Or replenishing their ammo. What difference does it make, spiritual resupply or physical resupply? |
| Posted by:Nimble Spemble |
| #7 This only postpones the inevitable. The Hezzies are never going to stop their attempt to destroy Israel. The real puppet is the Lebanese government. Iran/Syria/Hezzies rule through intimidation and assassinations. Northern Israel should be northern Lebanon. |
| Posted by: Captain America 2006-07-27 16:46 |
| #6 Schizo or psyops, you decide. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2006-07-27 16:38 |
| #5 I've just posted a stratfor freebie saying it's all smoke and mirrors, to get strategical surprise (I think, I'm not very bright). |
| Posted by: anonymous5089 2006-07-27 16:37 |
| #4 IDF calling up 30,000 reservists. Stand by for war. |
| Posted by: 6 2006-07-27 16:35 |
| #3 Israel should not have started going into Lebanon if they were not willing to do what it takes to destroy Hezbollah. Looks like they did not think this through and, if they go for some sort of hudna, it is going to result in further humiliation for Israel and aggrandizement of Hezbollah and its Iranian sponsor. Not good. |
| Posted by: JAB 2006-07-27 10:28 |
| #2 Rahhal, a Hizbullah spokesman, angrily responded to a question about the mosque refuge. "What's the Israelis business that our fighters were in the mosque? Maybe they were praying at the time!" he said. ROFL! Pretty touchy there, aren't ya buddy? Woof! |
| Posted by: Angolutle Fleresh8883 2006-07-27 10:25 |
| #1 "Meanwhile, no heavy fighting was reported Thursday morning as IDF troops headed towards the center of Bint Jbail, ". They are waiting for the IDF to say they have control, then they will attack. Get more press that way. |
| Posted by: plainslow 2006-07-27 10:19 |