another update:
IDF commandos conducting raid deep in Lebanon
By Amos Harel and Yoav Stern, Haaretz Correspondents, Haaretz Service and Agencies
Israeli commandos landed by helicopter late Tuesday night near the Hezbollah stronghold of Baalbek in what Lebanese security sources described as a major operation against suspected Hezbollah positions.
Lebanese security sources said the troops landed as aircraft launched several strikes near Baalbek, which is located in eastern Lebanon's Bekaa Valley. One Lebanese officer saying the Israel Air Force presence in the air above the ancient city was "unprecedented."
The army refused to comment on the reports.
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Hezbollah's chief spokesman told the Associated Press that Israeli troops had landed near a Baalbek hospital and that fierce fighting was raging between commandos and guerrilla fighters. "There was really an Israeli landing of troops around the Dar al-Hikma Hospital in Baalbek. Hezbollah fighters engaged Israeli troops in fierce fighting that has been raging on for more than an hour," said Hussein Rahal, Hezbollah's media chief.
The operation began with at least five rapid air strikes three hours before the end of Israel's self-imposed two-day pause in air attacks.
"The extreme, unprecedented number of aircraft indicates the possibility that the Israelis are planning to land troops, but we cannot yet confirm that," said one security official on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the information.
Other security officials, also speaking anonymously for the same reason, denied IDF troops were on the ground. Flares held aloft by parachutes lighted the night sky to a daytime brilliance, the official said.
Witnesses in Baalbek said they saw dozens of IAF helicopters hovering over the city. They said a private hospital in Baalbek, filled with patients and wounded people, was bombed by IAF helicopters late Tuesday. Plumes of burning smoke billowed from the hospital after it was directly hit, they said.
There was no immediate word on casualties.
Baalbek is about 100 kilometers (60 miles) north of the Litani River, which Israel had set as a northern boundary for an expanded ground operation that was announced in the early hours Tuesday.
IAF warplanes and helicopters started the operation on Baalbek and its surroundings at 10:20 P.M.
Baalbek, an ancient city with spectacular Roman ruins, was a former Syrian army headquarters and included the barracks of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards when they trained Hezbollah guerrillas there in the 1980s.
IAF helicopters also attacked a target 15 kilometers west of Baalbek, starting a huge fire, witnesses said. It was not immediately known if the target was controlled by Hezbollah or the Lebanese army.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/745276.html
I wonder whether the IAF has anything like our Spectre gunships...wouldn't be a bad thing to have if you need to lay down a massive amount of highly directed fire.
"said one security official on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the information."
MSM codewords for "give us the scoop, we protect our sources."
I see that repeated so often lately that it must be a macro on their keyboards.
Gee. I just hate mentioning this....... but.
Baalbek. The town where the Iranian Guard (Saddam's elite) trained Hizb'Allah guerillas.
Baal?
Beelzebub?
Baalzebek?
Baalbek.
Who are the wise and who are the fools, when even the wise shall be fooled?