Source: Malaysia Sun August 19 2006
Israeli warplanes flew overhead as Israeli commandos, disguised as Lebanese soldiers, and transport vehicles, were airlifted by helicopters to a village deep inside Lebanese territory. There they landed and the vehicles transported them to the east Lebanese village of Boudai, west of Baalbek where a major gunbattle resulted. Hezbollah sources say the attack was foiled. The Israeli army said one Israeli soldier, an officer, was killed in the raid while another two were wounded, one seriously. Lebanese security sources said three Hezbollah fighters were killed in the raid.
Israel bombed and destroyed a bridge as part of the raid. Local television said Israeli warplanes bombed a number of other targets.
Lebanon's Prime Minister Fuad Saniora described the attack as a, 'flagrant violation' of the ceasefire.
A spokesman for the Israel Defense Forces said the special forces operation was carried out, 'to prevent and interfere with terror activity against Israel, especially the smuggling of arms from Iran and Syria to Hezbollah.' The spokesman said the commando team completed its mission.
The army said such operations would be carried out until 'an effective monitoring unit' of Lebanese or multinational troops was in place.
'If the Syrians and Iran continue to arm Hezbollah in violation of the (U.N. cease-fire) resolution, Israel is entitled to act to defend the principle of the arms embargo,' Israeli foreign ministry spokesman Mark Regev said.
Lebanon's foreign minister said he immediately informed a visiting UN delegation of Israel's violation.
Lebanese Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh said, 'If Israel continues its violations, it is the responsibility of the (U.N.) Security Council to take action and ask Israel to stop these violations.'
Hezbollah's Al-Manar TV said the Israeli commando force landed before dawn and was driving into Boudai when it was intercepted by guerrillas who forced it to retreat under the cover of warplanes, which staged mock raids.
Hezbollah officials on the scene said overflights from Israeli jet fighters drowned the clatter of helicopters as they flew into the foothills of the central Lebanese mountains, dropping commandos and two vehicles they used to drive into the village when the Hezbollah fighters intercepted them in a field.
The commandos identified themselves as the Lebanese army, but the guerrillas grew suspicious and gunfire erupted, the officials said.
Israeli helicopters fired missiles as the commandos withdrew and flew out of the area an hour later, they said.
In letters to Lebanese and Israeli leaders, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan has warned the two countries against occupying additional territory and told them to refrain from responding to any attacks 'except where clearly required in immediate self-defense.'
Annan also told Israel and Lebanon that once the cessation of hostilities took effect there must be no firing from the ground, sea or air into the other side's territory or at its forces.
Arab Bloggers Dare to Dissent
Return to Home Page