Coolassprov MC
19-08-06, 09:21
http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6025340,00.html
Hezbollah Says It Foiled Israeli Raid
Saturday August 19, 2006 8:16 AM
AP Photo BEI120
By SAM F. GHATTAS
Associated Press Writer
BEIRUT, Lebanon (AP) - Hezbollah said it foiled an Israeli commando raid early Saturday near its stronghold of Baalbek, a confrontation that could prove to be the biggest violation to date of the U.N.-brokered cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah.
Lebanese security officials confirmed a report on Hezbollah TV that Israeli commandos were dropped off by helicopter outside the village of Boudai west of Baalbek in eastern Lebanon.
The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to release information to the media, said the Israelis apparently were seeking a guerrilla target in a school. The officials also reported heavy Israeli overflights.
Israel's army said it was looking into the report.
The provincial government official, Bekaa Valley Gov. Antoine Suleiman, told the privately owned Voice of Lebanon radio station that Israeli soldiers landed outside Baalbek and brought two vehicles with them.
If the report proves true, it would mark the first time Israel launched a military operation on such a scale since the cease-fire went into effect Monday. Israeli troops have killed several Hezbollah fighters who threatened their troops in south Lebanon since the cease-fire, and warplanes have flown over the country. The cease-fire allows for self-defense.
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.
The Hezbollah report said blood-soaked bandages were found later at the landing site outside Boudai, about 10 miles west of Baalbek, indicating there were casualties among the Israelis.
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.
Israeli helicopters fired missiles as the commandos withdrew and were flown out of the area an hour later, the Hezbollah officials said.
Witnesses reported seeing bandages and syringes at the site. They also said a bridge had been destroyed about 500 yards from the landing site. The witnesses said they believed it was destroyed by Israeli missiles.
Israel said late Friday its warplanes have not attacked Lebanon since an Aug. 14 cease-fire halted 34-days of fighting between Hezbollah and Israeli forces.
Baalbek is the birthplace of the Iranian and Syrian-backed Hezbollah. The area in the eastern Bekaa Valley, 60 miles north of the Israeli border, is a major guerrilla stronghold.
The U.N. Security Council cease-fire resolution calls for an immediate cessation by Hezbollah of all attacks and the immediate cessation by Israel of all offensive military operations.
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.
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/4749763E-9242-4A0F-99FB-B9CB3BAD32B5.htm
Hezbollah 'foils Israeli raid'
Saturday 19 August 2006, 9:01 Makka Time, 6:01 GMT
The reports come as a UN-brokered truce enters its 6th day
Hezbollah fighters are said to have foiled an Israeli commando raid west of Baalbek in eastern Lebanon.
Media reports quoted Lebanese security sources as saying on Saturday that Israeli aircraft and commandos raided the village of Bodai, west of the ancient city of Baalbek in the Bekaa Valley, at dawn.
The sources said that Israeli warplanes and helicopters attacked unidentified targets during the air drop of the commandos.
Al-Manar TV reported that fighters from Hezbollah clashed with Israeli commandos near Bodai and forced them to fly out under the cover of air strikes.
The Hezbollah-run station said the Israeli unit landed before dawn and was driving into the village when it was intercepted by the fighters, who forced it to retreat under the cover of warplanes.
It said the fighters had inflicted "certain casualties" among the Israeli forces.
A Lebanese military spokesman confirmed that Israeli forces had staged the commando operation and that there had been clashes with Hezbollah fighters.
There were no comments from Israel on the reports.
Such an assault, if proved to be true, would be the first serious attack since a UN truce ended 34 days of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.
Hezbollah Says It Foiled Israeli Raid
Saturday August 19, 2006 8:16 AM
AP Photo BEI120
By SAM F. GHATTAS
Associated Press Writer
BEIRUT, Lebanon (AP) - Hezbollah said it foiled an Israeli commando raid early Saturday near its stronghold of Baalbek, a confrontation that could prove to be the biggest violation to date of the U.N.-brokered cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah.
Lebanese security officials confirmed a report on Hezbollah TV that Israeli commandos were dropped off by helicopter outside the village of Boudai west of Baalbek in eastern Lebanon.
The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to release information to the media, said the Israelis apparently were seeking a guerrilla target in a school. The officials also reported heavy Israeli overflights.
Israel's army said it was looking into the report.
The provincial government official, Bekaa Valley Gov. Antoine Suleiman, told the privately owned Voice of Lebanon radio station that Israeli soldiers landed outside Baalbek and brought two vehicles with them.
If the report proves true, it would mark the first time Israel launched a military operation on such a scale since the cease-fire went into effect Monday. Israeli troops have killed several Hezbollah fighters who threatened their troops in south Lebanon since the cease-fire, and warplanes have flown over the country. The cease-fire allows for self-defense.
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.
The Hezbollah report said blood-soaked bandages were found later at the landing site outside Boudai, about 10 miles west of Baalbek, indicating there were casualties among the Israelis.
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.
Israeli helicopters fired missiles as the commandos withdrew and were flown out of the area an hour later, the Hezbollah officials said.
Witnesses reported seeing bandages and syringes at the site. They also said a bridge had been destroyed about 500 yards from the landing site. The witnesses said they believed it was destroyed by Israeli missiles.
Israel said late Friday its warplanes have not attacked Lebanon since an Aug. 14 cease-fire halted 34-days of fighting between Hezbollah and Israeli forces.
Baalbek is the birthplace of the Iranian and Syrian-backed Hezbollah. The area in the eastern Bekaa Valley, 60 miles north of the Israeli border, is a major guerrilla stronghold.
The U.N. Security Council cease-fire resolution calls for an immediate cessation by Hezbollah of all attacks and the immediate cessation by Israel of all offensive military operations.
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.
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/4749763E-9242-4A0F-99FB-B9CB3BAD32B5.htm
Hezbollah 'foils Israeli raid'
Saturday 19 August 2006, 9:01 Makka Time, 6:01 GMT
The reports come as a UN-brokered truce enters its 6th day
Hezbollah fighters are said to have foiled an Israeli commando raid west of Baalbek in eastern Lebanon.
Media reports quoted Lebanese security sources as saying on Saturday that Israeli aircraft and commandos raided the village of Bodai, west of the ancient city of Baalbek in the Bekaa Valley, at dawn.
The sources said that Israeli warplanes and helicopters attacked unidentified targets during the air drop of the commandos.
Al-Manar TV reported that fighters from Hezbollah clashed with Israeli commandos near Bodai and forced them to fly out under the cover of air strikes.
The Hezbollah-run station said the Israeli unit landed before dawn and was driving into the village when it was intercepted by the fighters, who forced it to retreat under the cover of warplanes.
It said the fighters had inflicted "certain casualties" among the Israeli forces.
A Lebanese military spokesman confirmed that Israeli forces had staged the commando operation and that there had been clashes with Hezbollah fighters.
There were no comments from Israel on the reports.
Such an assault, if proved to be true, would be the first serious attack since a UN truce ended 34 days of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.