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Israeli soldier killed in Lebanon raid
Yahoo News Page ^ | 19 August 2006 | SAM F. GHATTAS

Posted on 08/19/2006 3:00:24 AM PDT by BlackVeil

BEIRUT, Lebanon - Hezbollah fighters battled Israeli commandos who landed near the militants' stronghold deep inside Lebanon early Saturday, killing one soldier, in the first large-scale violation of the U.N.-brokered cease-fire between the sides.

Hezbollah said its guerrillas foiled the raid after a gunbattle, and the Israeli army said one officer was killed and two soldiers were wounded, one seriously.

Witnesses said Israeli missiles destroyed a bridge during the raid — the first major violation of the U.N.-imposed cease-fire that took effect Monday following 34 days of fighting.

The Israeli army said the special forces operation aimed "to prevent and interfere with terror activity against Israel, especially the smuggling of arms from Iran and Syria to Hezbollah." It said the commando team completed its mission.

The army said such operations would be carried out until "an effective monitoring unit" of Lebanese or multinational troops was in place to prevent Hezbollah from rebuilding its arsenal.

Hezbollah TV and Lebanese security officials said Israeli helicopters dropped off a commando team outside the village of Boudai west of Baalbek in eastern Lebanon.

The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to release information to the media, said the Israelis apparently were seeking a guerrilla target in a nearby school but had no other details. The officials also reported heavy overflights of Israeli jets.

Such a bold operation risked scuttling the fragile cease-fire and suggested Israel was going after a major target near Baalbek — perhaps to rescue two Israeli soldiers snatched by Hezbollah on July 12, or to try to capture a senior guerrilla official to trade for the soldiers.

Hezbollah has said it wants to exchange the two soldiers for Arab prisoners, but the U.N. cease-fire resolution demands Hezbollah unconditionally release the soldiers.

Local media said Sheik Mohammed Yazbeck, a senior Hezbollah official in the Bekaa and a member of the Shura council of the group, may have been the target. Yazbeck is a native of Boudai.

Israeli troops have killed several guerrillas who Israel said threatened its troops in south Lebanon since the cease-fire, and warplanes have flown over the country. But the cease-fire allows military action in self-defense, and the commando raid was by far the most serious incident since Monday.

Lebanese Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh said Lebanese authorities found blood at the scene of the raid, indicating Israeli casualties. Salloukh, speaking to reporters after meeting with U.N. envoy Terje Roed-Larsen in Beirut, said he informed the U.N. team of the Israeli action in Baalbek and said the U.N. team would raise the issue with Israeli authorities.

"If Israel continues its violations, it is the responsibility of the (U.N.) Security Council to take action and ask Israel to stop these violations," he said.

A provincial government official, Bekaa Valley Gov. Antoine Suleiman, confirmed the Israeli troop landing. He told the privately owned Voice of Lebanon radio station that the landing party brought with it two vehicles that were later withdrawn after clashes.

Hezbollah's Al-Manar TV said the Israeli commando force landed before dawn and was driving into Boudai when it was intercepted by guerrillas who forced it to retreat under the cover of warplanes, which staged mock raids.

Hezbollah officials on the scene said overflights from Israeli jet fighters drowned the clatter of helicopters as they flew into the foothills of the central Lebanese mountains, dropping commandos and two vehicles they used to drive into the village when the Hezbollah fighters intercepted them in a field.

The commandos identified themselves as the Lebanese army, but the guerrillas grew suspicious and gunfire erupted, the officials said.

Israeli helicopters fired missiles as the commandos withdrew and flew out of the area an hour later, they said.

Witnesses saw bandages and syringes at the site. The also saw a destroyed bridge about 500 yards from the area where the landing took place, after missiles were fired by Israeli aircraft.

Overflights were reported Friday night in the same area.

Israel said late Friday its warplanes have not attacked Lebanon since the cease-fire took effect.

Baalbek is the birthplace of the Iranian and Syrian-backed Hezbollah. The area in the eastern Bekaa Valley, 60 miles north of the Israeli border, is a major guerrilla stronghold.

The U.N. Security Council cease-fire resolution calls for an immediate cessation by Hezbollah of all attacks and the immediate cessation by Israel of all offensive military operations.

In letters to Lebanese and Israeli leaders, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan has warned the two countries against occupying additional territory and told them to refrain from responding to any attacks "except where clearly required in immediate self-defense."

Annan also told Israel and Lebanon that once the cessation of hostilities took effect there must be no firing from the ground, sea or air into the other side's territory or at its forces.


TOPICS: Breaking News; Foreign Affairs; Israel
KEYWORDS: 2006israelwar; hezbollah; israel; lebanon
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The ceasefire is broken.
1 posted on 08/19/2006 3:00:26 AM PDT by BlackVeil
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To: BlackVeil

And a good job too. No more Hudna.


2 posted on 08/19/2006 3:03:09 AM PDT by agere_contra
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To: BlackVeil

I say Go isreal GO! its about time they start kicking ass i wished america would do the same these people dont want peace they have made it very clear what there goal's they are united for common casue they want the whole world under one rule which is islam if American people dont wake up it will happen i dont know why? They dont get it I just dont


3 posted on 08/19/2006 3:05:17 AM PDT by StoneWall Brigade (America Love it or Leave it!)
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To: BlackVeil

Syrian government has to be hurting. They run alot of drugs through the bakaa valley on its way to europe and Israel is shutting down their smuggling routes.


4 posted on 08/19/2006 3:05:38 AM PDT by Proud_USA_Republican (We're going to take things away from you on behalf of the common good. - Hillary Clinton)
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To: StoneWall Brigade

Regardless of whether one thinks ones opponent does not want peace, it is a very serious step to break a ceasefire.


5 posted on 08/19/2006 3:08:38 AM PDT by BlackVeil
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To: BlackVeil

I Found it very hard to belive that isreal would just up and break ceasefire without reason


6 posted on 08/19/2006 3:10:43 AM PDT by StoneWall Brigade (America Love it or Leave it!)
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To: Proud_USA_Republican

Yes, that is the hashish route. But drug traders have a way of always getting the product through ... they will find a way. Very difficult to stop them.


7 posted on 08/19/2006 3:10:55 AM PDT by BlackVeil
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To: StoneWall Brigade

More info will come out tomorrow, I guess. The story I have read says that they Israelis claim to be stopping Syria replinishing weapons for Hezbollah.


8 posted on 08/19/2006 3:12:07 AM PDT by BlackVeil
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To: BlackVeil

maybe so


9 posted on 08/19/2006 3:15:56 AM PDT by StoneWall Brigade (America Love it or Leave it!)
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To: StoneWall Brigade

are you a troll? your manner and Your tagine are pure DU counter ops.


10 posted on 08/19/2006 3:17:56 AM PDT by zarf
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To: BlackVeil

We'll see if the Hezzies respond.


11 posted on 08/19/2006 3:19:32 AM PDT by mainepatsfan
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To: zarf

I think you might be right.


12 posted on 08/19/2006 3:21:34 AM PDT by KSCITYBOY
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To: zarf

StoneWall is a regular poster.

We are trying to work out why the ceasefire has blown up.

I am about the only person who LIKED the news of the ceasefire in Lebanon, really, it was a step forward compared to the horror of the previous four weeks.


13 posted on 08/19/2006 3:22:03 AM PDT by BlackVeil
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To: BlackVeil
Regardless of whether one thinks ones opponent does not want peace, it is a very serious step to break a ceasefire.

What bullshit. You know it's a way of life for the Muslims. So the Israelis copied them. Big deal. Muslims call these bullshit ceasefires Hudna. It's in the Koran which you might want to read sometime

Mo' advocated breaking ceasefires and treaties and Muzzies have been emulating him ever since

14 posted on 08/19/2006 3:27:28 AM PDT by dennisw (Confucius say man who go through turnstile sideways going to Bangkok)
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To: BlackVeil

I'm afraid we haven't seen true horror in this fight that will never end until one side is completely annihilated.


15 posted on 08/19/2006 3:30:47 AM PDT by flynmudd (Proud Navy Mom to OSSR Richard T. Blalock-USS Ramage)
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To: BlackVeil

This is for you, clown:

"When you live among wolves, you must howl like a wolf" This is Israel's dilemma. (Quote is from Lenin)


16 posted on 08/19/2006 3:31:11 AM PDT by dennisw (Confucius say man who go through turnstile sideways going to Bangkok)
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To: dennisw; agere_contra

To imply that Israel entered the treaty on the basis of a fake peace (the term assigned to the word "hudna") seems like a grim judgement of them. Better not to have a treaty, than to have a treaty on the basis of - I will have a break then start on them again.


17 posted on 08/19/2006 3:31:42 AM PDT by BlackVeil
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To: dennisw

Lenin is a very poor guide for how one OUGHT to behave.


18 posted on 08/19/2006 3:32:59 AM PDT by BlackVeil
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To: BlackVeil
The Israeli army said the special forces operation aimed "to prevent and interfere with terror activity against Israel, especially the smuggling of arms from Iran and Syria to Hezbollah." It said the commando team completed its mission.

We are trying to work out why the ceasefire has blown up.

There is your answer. The cease fire was broke by the Hezbo's accepting arms!
19 posted on 08/19/2006 3:37:22 AM PDT by madconserv (Jesus take the wheel- The time is here.)
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To: mainepatsfan
We'll see if the Hezzies respond.

That is the key point. I doubt if they will fire rockets into Israel immediatly. I think they will just keep operating on the ground in Lebanon, and refuse to give up their arms - but they were never going to give up their arms, anyway.

20 posted on 08/19/2006 3:39:50 AM PDT by BlackVeil
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