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Israel hit from the North by Hizubullah missile barrage


This is an image from television footage aired by Hezbollah's Al-Manar television on Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2005. Hezbollah's Al-Manar television said the viedotape showed scenes from Monday's violence on the border between Lebanon and Israel. This image claims to show one of a volley of Hezbollah rockets crashing into the Israeli military outpost in the border village of Ghajar. (AP Photo/Al-Manar)

SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM

Tuesday, November 22, 2005

TEL AVIV — The Iranian-sponsored Hizbullah has launched its biggest rocket barrage against Israel in years.

Israeli sources said Hizbullah fired hundreds of mortars and rockets toward Israeli military positions and communities along the northern border.

The sources said 11 Israeli soldiers were injured in a coordinated rocket and ground force attack, which took place on the eve of Lebanon's Independence Day.

In the first battle since June 2005, Israeli artillery batteries and aircraft returned fire and targeted a Hizbullah command post, Middle East Newsline reported. The exchange of fire was said to have lasted more than four hours.

"Our assessment is that behind the Hizbullah fire stand Syrian and Iranian interests to heat up the border," Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz said.

"Hizbullah used its full arsenal against us -- mortar shells, Katyusha rockets, anti-tank missiles and sniper fire," Maj. Gen. Udi Adam, the head of the Israeli military's Northern Command, said. "No IDF activity was carried out in the area prior to this attack. This attack had been in the planning for a long time, and we haven't seen such a wide scale coordinated attack by Hizbullah in a long time."

Officials said the Hizbullah attack began with a mortar and rocket barrage on Israeli military outposts along the disputed Shebaa Plateau. After several minutes, Hizbullah fighters on motorcycles and dune buggies stormed an Israeli position in the border town of Rajar, divided between Israeli- and Lebanese-controlled sectors.

Israeli soldiers opened fire and five Hizbullah fighters were killed in a fierce battle. Military sources said Hizbullah sought to capture the Israeli outpost and abduct soldiers.

"Hizbullah cells carried out a number of attacks against Israel Defense Force posts in the Rajar and Mount Dov regions in an attempt to kidnap IDF soldiers," an Israeli military statement said. "IDF forces were successful in preventing these attempts and were able to disable the Hizbullah cells."

At that point, Hizbullah gunners opened Katyusha and anti-tank fire toward Israeli border communities. Authorities ordered Israeli residents to take refuge in bomb shelters.

Hours later, an Israel Navy helicopter opened fire toward a Hizbullah squad near the Lebanese village of Nakoura along the Israeli border. There were no reports of injuries.

Military sources said Israel intends to maintain its high alert along the Lebanese border until at least Dec. 15, the deadline for the submission of a United Nations report into the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Military sources said Hizbullah plans to either launch a rocket attack or abduct an Israeli soldier.

Officials said Hizbullah has 15,000 rockets and missiles, with ranges of up to 110 kilometers. They said at least 10,000 of the missiles were supplied by Iran.

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Iraq training 1,000 new forces per week

SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM

Tuesday, November 22, 2005

BAGHDAD — U.S. officials said the Iraqi security forces have more than 212,000 trained and equipped soldiers and police.

They said the military was training and deploying soldiers and police at a rate of nearly 1,000 per week.

Maj. Gen. Rick Lynch, spokesman for the U.S.-led coalition, said 120 Iraq Army and police battalions have joined the war against Sunni insurgents. Lynch said 25 percent of the battalions were able to take the lead on counter-insurgency operations.

On Oct. 28, the U.S.-led coalition transferred security responsibility for the Diyala province to the Iraq Army, Middle East Newsline reported. The Multi-National Force said 3,000 U.S. soldiers from Task Force Liberty have been replaced by the Iraq Army's 1st Brigade of the 5th Division.

Officials said Iraqi security forces continue to be hampered by poor logistics. But they said Iraqi soldiers and police have been increasingly effective in collecting and processing tactical intelligence, many of them composed of tips from Iraqi civilians.

"The Iraqi 1st Brigade continues to train and equip its forces while providing command and control for battalion-sized operations in eastern Diyala Province," a U.S. military statement said. "The regiment achieved significant success during its operations in eastern Diyala Province. Troopers of the regimental combat team conducted more than 13,000 combat patrols during their eleven months of service."

Officials said 17 bases have been turned over to the Iraq Army. They said the army has been in charge of an entire province as well as a large section of Baghdad.

[On Nov. 19, about 150 Iraqi soldiers and 300 Marines launched Operation Bruins in Ramadi. Officials said the operation was designed to block Sunni insurgency routes and search for weapons caches.]

U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said Iraq now has more than 100 military and police battalions engaged in battle. Rumsfeld said the security forces were "well respected by the Iraqi people," who have provided increased tips on insurgency activity and whereabouts.

"They're doing a very good job," Rumsfeld said on Nov. 20. "They're growing in numbers and they're growing in competence."