Posted on 07/15/2006 1:21:07 AM PDT by familyop
From correspondents in Beirut
ISRAELI warplanes dropped thousands of leaflets in Hizbollah's stronghold in Beirut's southern suburb today, urging residents to stay away from the group's offices and buildings, witnesses said.
"For your own safety and because of our desire not to harm any civilians who are not involved (with Hezbollah), you should refrain from staying in areas where Hezbollah is present and operating," said the Arabic-language leaflets, signed "The State of Israel".
(Go Israel, Go! Slap Down Em Hezbullies!)
...sorry, but the news above might be from a day or two ago. It needs to be seen at FR, IMO. If it's been seen here from other sources, it needs to be seen again (due to repeated advice from some folks for "restraint").
BTW, here's a related factoid. Lebanese of all religions credit Nasrallah, Hezbollah's leader, with driving the IDF out of Lebanon a few years ago. They often glorify his terrorist son, who was killed then. Sentiments have recently changed for the worse there, and most people over here aren't aware of that.
"For your own safety and because of our desire not to harm any civilians who are not involved (with Hezbollah), women and children should be aware of who is hiding behind them"
It goes to show that Isreal is the responsibile ones. Do not expect this from the terrorists.
BBC
Beirut's southern suburbs have already been hit hard by Israel
Israeli planes have been dropping leaflets on southern suburbs of Beirut telling residents to leave ahead of new military operations against Hezbollah.
In Israel, the army has reportedly been told to plan a push into Lebanon as far as the Litani river, which is up to 30km (19 miles) north of the border.
Hezbollah has warned Tel Aviv could be attacked if Israel's actions intensify.
Lebanon says more than 900 people have died, most of them civilians. Israel has lost 27 civilians and 39 soldiers.
Fighting raged on the ground in south Lebanon on Thursday with three Israeli soldiers killed and Hezbollah again targeted northern Israel, killing at least eight civilians.
Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora has called for a lasting solution to the conflict.
Speaking on the BBC's Newsnight programme, he said Israel had to withdraw from the disputed border territory known as the Shebaa Farms, which the United Nations says is part of Syria.
"Calling for a ceasefire is very important... but at the same time, we want a permanent solution - we don't want to go back to the status quo ante," he said.
A United Nations resolution calling for a truce appears near to completion in New York.
Israel's campaign began three weeks ago after Hezbollah militants captured two Israeli soldiers.
New rocket threat
"After the continued launching of Hezbollah terrorist rockets... the IDF [Israeli Defence Forces] intend to widen their offensive in Beirut," read the leaflets dropped on Beirut on Thursday evening.
Residents of the suburbs of Haret Hreik, Bir Abed, Hay Madi and Roweiss received the Arabic-language warning.
Israeli aircraft resumed bombing of the city on Wednesday night after a lull of several days.
"If you bomb our capital Beirut, we will bomb... Tel Aviv," said Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah's leader, in a televised speech on Thursday.
He added that Hezbollah would end its rocket attacks if Israel stopped attacking what he called civilian areas in Lebanon.
Three members of a Lebanese family died on Thursday in an Israeli attack on a village.
In other developments:
The UN's refugee agency (UNHCR) warned that fuel shortages were increasingly hampering humanitarian relief operations in Lebanon King Abdullah of Jordan publicly criticised the US and Israel over the fighting in Lebanon
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said the answer to the crisis was the elimination of Israel Resolution takes shape
According to Israeli officials, Defense Minister Amir Peretz has told top army officers to begin preparing for a push to the Litani, seen by some as a possible boundary for a "buffer zone".
Israel has suffered a day of heavy military and civilian losses
Any such operation would require approval by Israel's seven-member security cabinet.
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has said there will be no ceasefire until an international force is deployed in southern Lebanon.
The UK, France and the US hope to present the first part of a two-stage peace plan to the other 12 members of the UN Security Council later on Thursday.
A second resolution including authorisation for an international peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon may be proposed later.
Since such a force could take weeks or months to arrive, a smaller force of French soldiers may be sent in first, BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner notes.
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