Posted on 07/26/2006 12:54:48 PM PDT by SmithL
Eight IDF soldiers from the Golani infantry brigade, three of them officers, were killed in a fierce battle on Wednesday as IDF forces fought to seal off the Hizbullah stronghold of Bint Jbail in southern Lebanon. The heavy clashes erupted after forces entered the town.
In addition, at least 30 soldiers were wounded, three seriously, in the battles. At least two of the wounded were officers. Some of the evacuations of the wounded took place under fire.
IDF sources reported heavy gun battles between soldiers from the Golani Brigade and Hizbullah guerrillas, and said that some of the shooting was taking place at point-blank range in homes and courtyards.
By its duration and casualties, the battle is the heaviest combat between Hizbullah and Israel since the war in the North erupted.
Even after the IDF declared it had cleared and secured the Lebanese town of Maroun al-Ras of Hizbullah guerillas, a Paratroopers contingent near the town was hit by an anti-tank missile Wednesday evening.
Several soldiers were wounded in the attack and in the gunfight that ensued.
IAF warplanes destroyed the offices of Hizbullah's south Lebanon commander in the southern port city of Tyre on Wednesday, security officials and witnesses said. The building was empty but 12 people nearby were injured.
The two explosions in the center of the city raised a giant pall of smoke over Tyre, and electricity was knocked out in some areas. The target was a seven-story building housing the office of Sheik Nabil Kaouk, the Hizbullah commander in south Lebanon.
The building was heavily damaged and the top floors were pancaked on top of each other. But witnesses and doctors said it was believed to be empty.
Hizbullah said through its Al-Manar TV station Wednesday that its guerrillas had ambushed an Israeli unit on the Massoud hilltop in Bint Jbail, causing many casualties whom the Israelis were unable to rescue because of heavy fire.
A senior Hizbullah official, Mahmoud Komati, told The Associated Press Wednesday that Israeli forces had managed to seize a few points inside Bint Jbail, but had not yet taken the town center.
The IDF said several Hizbullah fighters had taken cover in a local mosque.
But Komati denied fighters were taking cover in a mosque and suggested they may be civilians. "Fighters don't take shelter in mosques. They fight on the battlefield. If they can't, they retreat but not to mosques."
Rahhal, the Hizbullah spokesman, angrily responded to a question about the mosque refuge. "What's the Israeli's business that our fighters were in the mosque? Maybe they were praying at the time!"
On Tuesday night, the IDF confirmed that a high-ranking Hizbullah leader called Al-Jafar had been killed in an IAF air strike in Lebanon. This was the first time since Operation Change of Direction began on July 12, following the abduction of two soldiers in a cross-border attack, that the army confirmed such a report.
The IDF would not reveal the official's exact position but said that he was high up in the organization's hierarchy and was one of the Hizbullah's regional commanders.
Earlier, IAF fighter jets destroyed 10 buildings in the Beirut neighborhood of Dahiya, home to Hizbullah command headquarters on Tuesday.
Love the tagline! That's the beauty of telling the truth, it can't be refuted.
Because the friggin' UN is watching. A few more hits on their observation posts should fix that. Then let the MOAB hit Main St.
I have a few posts on several threads agreeing with you, especially as to how Hezbollah will use this conflict. However extaordinary circumstances are needed before decisions like running an Arclight type mission on civvie areas are made.The good guys just don't do Dresdens anymore. It does make it real tough on the grunts.God be with them.
Hizbollah will keep coming on, as they will otherwise lose their (undeserved) reputation as having forced Israel out of Lebanon. And pieces of Hizbollah will rain for days.
bttt
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.