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Operation Change of Direction Continues
06:18 Jul 16, '06 / 20 Tammuz 5766
by Yechiel Spira

In the meantime, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert remains determined to continue military operations along the northern and southern borders until the rocket attacks are halted and the three captive soldiers are released by terrorists.

Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora indicated that he is now leaning towards complying with United Nations Resolution 1559, calling for the Lebanon to assert its sovereignty over southern Lebanon, particularly along Israel’s northern border. Such a move would push out Hizbullah; something Lebanon has avoided doing since Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon in 2000. Despite the international community’s acceptance of Israel’s withdrawal, including the United Nations, Lebanon has preferred to permit the terror organization to maintain control of southern Lebanon.

Israel Air Force fighter planes during the night continued pounding Hizbullah targets in Lebanon, including the al-Manara Hizbullah-run TV station and Lebanese coastal radar stations.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has vowed to continue the military counter-terror offensive until terrorists halt rocket attacks and return three IDF soldiers taken hostage in two separate attacks. Olmert has rejected the Lebanese call for a ceasefire, indicating Israel intends to continue to disarm Hizbullah to eliminate the threat to northern Israel.

In statements to the media last week, Defense Minister Amir Peretz stated this operation will create new realities, which do not include a Hizbullah presence along Israel’s northern border, stating this will no longer be acceptable as it has been in the past.

The attacks escalated over the Sabbath, beginning on Friday night, when Katyusha rockets slammed into Nahariya. Two people were killed, a 58-year-old grandmother and her 7-year-old grandson.

Following that attack, Hizbullah fired at an Israel Navy vessel 16 kilometers off the coast of Lebanon, in which a sailor was killed. Three other sailors are listed as MIAs, missing in action.

The Homefront Command continues to issue statements of calm, informing citizens that following Homefront Command instructions during this state of warfare will minimize injury to civilians. Homefront Command Chief Major General Yitzchak Gershon on Saturday night addressed the nation in a live televised address, telling Israelis that the situation is under control and northern residents should continue monitoring radio broadcasts and the Homefront website for up-to-date information regarding northern areas, remaining in bomb shelters and safe rooms, and more.

The cabinet on Sunday morning will convene for its weekly session, at which time rumors indicate Defense Minister Amir Peretz may declare a “special situation” in the north. Such a state-of-emergency would empower military commanders to close schools, roads and take other actions in line with ongoing military operations. Such as move most analysts believe is likely, as a growing number of northern residents seek lodging in the center of the country, tenaciously working to distance themselves from Hizbullah rockets.

In Haifa, Patriot anti-ballistic missile batteries have been positioned, a reality that analysts explain signals growing concern, stating the anti-ballistic missile batteries are intended to stop incoming projectiles more serious than the Katyusha rockets fired until now.

Katyusha rocket fire into Tiberias on the Sabbath also signaled another escalation in Hizbullah warfare, as well as attesting to the longer-range rockets in the terror organization’s arsenal.

Military experts ominously predict that with the number of Katyusha rockets in Hizbullah’s arsenal, at the current rate of daily rocket fire, the current situation could conceivably continue for months.