Israeli Troops Enter Southern Lebanon
PanARMENIAN.Net
19.07.2006 13:35 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ As the sound of explosions echoed over the port city
of Tyre and with Israeli helicopters and unmanned drones in the skies
above, Israel launched a limited cross-border operation into southern
Lebanon early Wednesday. An Israel Defense Forces spokesman told
CNN the ground troops are on a mission to destroy specific Hezbollah
outposts. The spokesman, speaking from Jerusalem, declined to say how
many Israeli troops were involved in the operation. He also declined
to say how far Israeli troops had gotten into southern Lebanon but
said they were close to the border. An Israeli diplomat said his
country has no intention of staying in Lebanon.
"What we’re doing is part of trying to make Hezbollah incapable of
shelling our cities and our villages and to kill our citizens," said
Dan Gillerman, Israeli ambassador to the United Nations. The IDF said a
"small group" of Israeli troops has been traveling across the border
near the border fence for a number of days. Their goal is to pinpoint,
or identify, Hezbollah infrastructure, including mines and tunnels.
Israel launched an extensive bombing campaign against Hezbollah
after the Shiite Muslim militia abducted two Israeli soldiers in
a cross-border raid into northern Israel. Lebanon’s government
has demanded a cease-fire, but Israel insisted it would keep up
the attacks until its kidnapped soldiers are freed. The fighting
has killed at least 25 people, including 13 civilians, in northern
Israel. Lebanese Internal Security Forces said Wednesday that 202
people had been killed, including 11 soldiers, and 488 wounded since
the start of hostilities on July 12, reported CNN.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
