Posted on 07/31/2006 7:53:06 PM PDT by yatros from flatwater
The security cabinet approved early Tuesday morning expanded ground operations in Lebanon, while the IDF, under the assumption that only a few days were left for the operations against Hizbullah, was already gearing up Monday night for a massive ground incursion into Lebanon on three different fronts, utilizing the Golani, Nahal and the Paratroopers infantry brigades.
The plan, senior IDF sources said, was to utilize the last remaining days of the operation, which they estimated would be over by week's end, to push Hizbullah back as far north as the Litani River in central Lebanon. The plan was pending approval by the cabinet, which was meeting late Monday night.
"An extensive ground operation could destroy the Hizbullah terror infrastructure there," a high-ranking IDF source said. "This is our opportunity to strike at Hizbullah."
Defense Minister Amir Peretz rejected calls for a cease-fire on Monday. "This is a difficult and painful fight but we can overcome it," he said during a speech in the Knesset plenum. "We cannot agree to a cease-fire that will go into effect immediately."
In addition to the attempt to push Hizbullah north to the Litani, the IDF is also working on carving out a two-kilometer security zone along the northern border, under which all of the Hizbullah outposts there would be completely razed and guerrillas would not be allowed to return to the borderline area.
Hizbullah fired two Katyusha rockets at Kiryat Shmona on Monday. No one was wounded, but fires broke out as a result of the explosions.
At the moment, the IDF said that it did not intend to send the thousands of reservists who had been called up under emergency orders into Lebanon. Sources said the reservists would be used the earliest by Wednesday, although the decision was dependent on decisions made at the late-night cabinet meeting.
According to intelligence assessments, the areas that would be invaded in eastern and western Lebanon were loaded with Katyusha rocket launchers, weapons warehouses and Hizbullah headquarters.
Meanwhile Monday, a US-brokered 48-hour suspension of aerial activity went into effect as IDF troops from the Nahal Brigade operated on the ground in southern Lebanon in the villages of Ataybeh and Al-Adisa, just north of Metulla. Nine soldiers were wounded during the fighting. Three of the soldiers were wounded after an APC flipped over near the village of Kila in southern Lebanon.
IAF fighter jets struck the main Lebanese-Syrian border crossing on Monday for the third time in as many days, hitting a vehicle, the IDF and witnesses said. The military said the strike hit a truck importing weapons from Syria at the Masnaa border crossing. It said the strike was in Lebanese territory.
But Lebanese police officials said two missiles struck near a vehicle carrying relief supplies near the Lebanese customs post, wounding five people, including a customs officer.
Also Monday, in accordance with a decision by the political echelon and in light of security assessments, a general closure was imposed on the West Bank. Throughout the duration of the closure, the IDF said there would be an easing of restrictions for the population, and humanitarian cases would be handled and approved by the District Coordination and Liaison offices.
The IDF said it would continue to exercise sensitivity towards the West Bank population, while performing thorough inspections at checkpoints and crossings. The army added that it would continue to operate to ensure the security of the citizens of Israel, while preserving, to the best of its ability, the fabric of life of the Palestinians.
Meanwhile, a heightened state of alert, which was declared in Haifa on Monday afternoon, was lowered after two suspected terrorists were arrested. The security establishment had received intelligence that a terror attack was being planned in the region.
In response, police set up roadblocks and increased its presence.
Great. What happens when Israel is fired at from across the Litani?
Fire up the dozers and cross the Litani. There's more work to be done.
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