Posted on 07/19/2006 7:09:34 PM PDT by Alouette
Senior Northern Command officer tells Ynet that soldiers killed in Lebanon Wednesday were part of mission aimed at uncovering 40-meter deep poured concrete bunkers along border. Despite challenges, army determined to complete operation
A senior IDF Northern Command officer told Ynet that Hizbullah has set up an extensive underground bunker network not far from the Israeli border.
On Wednesday two IDF soldiers from the Magellan unit were killed and nine more soldiers were wounded during army operations aimed at uncovering the bunkers.
Hizbullah terrorists were hiding out in the fortified underground bunkers some 40 meters (roughly 120 feet) underground, along with mass weapons caches, the officer said. “Despite the results of the event, we’ll continue with this operation,” the officer stated. “There are missions that the Air Force cannot carry out and they need to be completed by other means.”
Vice Premier Shimon Peres also mentioned the issue of the bunker network during a recent meeting with European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana. “Hizbullah dug tunnels under extensive areas of south Lebanon and rigged the area with a half ton of explosives,” Peres said.
The IDF defined the operation in the area as “shaping the border.” Wednesday’s operation, which ended in two fatalities, revealed the challenges the army would have to face to reach this goal. The destruction of Hizbullah bases along the border is only one aspect of the activities, and this mission too is steeped in no small danger, as hundreds of kilograms of explosives have been planted in the area.
Sophisticated bunker system
And further underground, as well, it turns out, there is no small amount of activity. Hizbullah has built a sophisticated system of bunkers, constructed of poured concrete, some of them equipped with communications systems. The IDF knows if they don’t demolish this bunker system, there will not be quiet along the border after the operation in Lebanon.
The Magellan unit’s mission was precisely to defeat this threat. “There was a short- and mid-range confrontation,” the senior officer explained. “There were a number of exchanges of fire. The medic and paramedic where hit by small-arms fire and were killed. The area is meticulous planned out by the Hizbullah. There were launchers and many gunmen there. That’s where the rocket fire towards Safed, Hula Valley and the area was carried out from. This isn’t a continuous security operation – it’s a war. We have successes, but sometimes things work out less well.”
According to the officer, the IDF would continue various operations on Lebanese territory to bring about a change not only the appearance of change, but real change on every square meter near the border. “There are dozens more bunkers, caves and tunnels. It doesn’t surprise us. We expected it and must overcome it,” he said, adding that the army was determined to complete the mission, including in the area where the two soldiers fell Wednesday.
The IDF called on hundreds of thousands of southern Lebanon residents in dozens of villages and town to evacuate their houses for the north to avoid coming to harm. The IDF intends to extend it attacks deeper into Lebanese territory, up to a couple dozen miles from the Israeli border. The army is aware that hundreds of thousands of Lebanese have evacuated, but many more remain in the targeted area.
Hezbollah is claiming that Israel did not bomb a bunker, that it was "mosque under construction"...time to start bombing these MUCs.
Side Looking Airborne Radar (SLAR) will do the trick.
That is one hell of a suppository.
Side Looking Airborne Radar (SLAR) will do the trick.
Iraq, Iran, etc, etc. They all have stinking cities under their cities.
I think we should assume they all have gas masks. Lots of them. They had access to Iranian Oil slush funds. Might have to be a skin absorbed nerve agent unfortunately.
Let's get them proper radar so they can bomb the entire bunker network.
Whatever it was, it did wack the Israelis Special Forces.
From an American point of view, those are all fanatical Japanese willing to die for their Emperor. They have been waiting years for offensive forces to come into their field of fire.
Cant Israel somehow locate the "in" and "out" corridors to these tunnels/bunkers, and then demolish the entrances under tons of tubble.
Unless there are numerous secret entrance-ways and exits, one would think that the IDF could sort of trap the rats inside the bunkers, and then feed in poison gas or something.
Maybe I've seen too many movies, but that seems like one option that could save the precious lives of Israeli soldiers.
Morlocks that harvest eloi.
Senior Northern Command officer tells Ynet that soldiers killed in Lebanon Wednesday were part of mission aimed at uncovering 40-meter deep poured concrete bunkers along border. [emphasis: mine]That, along with reports that 1500 rockets have been launched into Israel over the course of last week, in addition to very credible assertions that the Hizzy's possess upwards of an additional 12K missiles is very very telling to me who is running the show in Lebanon.
If an AN/TPQ-37 & 43 net was implemented, along with the necessary artillery counterstrike system to be em-placed, Israel could sufficiently counterstrike at "arms length".
It is my understanding that a minimum of 15 155mm shells would be required to neutralize (30% reduction of combat effectiveness) 1 hectare (2.147 acres). If the objective was enhanced degradation of enemy capabilities beyond neutralization, then upwards of 100 shells would be required.
Given the fire rate of howitzer and cannon artillery fire-teams, I believe that would be apropos as it concerns the threat Israeli civilians face. It should be understood that the Hezzy's consider all of Israel's population to be "combatants." Well, what's good for gandering is good for goosing too, eh?
You can also assume the have women and children in the bunkers in order to have propaganda bodies. (they may even be already dead)
Surely Israel had high-altitude and satellite reconnaissance of the bunker construction. It also sounds like they have moles, since they claimed to know the location of Sheikh Nassafras or whatever his name is.
The Japanese did the same thing on various Pacific Islands, and we knocked their lights out.
A hole is a hole is a hole. And the Islamic fascists who dug them will meet the same fate as the Japanese fascists did.
Then go in and mop up the dazed survivors.
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