MIDDLE EAST: Regional violence escalates as troops clash with Lebanese militants at northern border; rockets strike Israel but diplomatic efforts continue

Israeli troops and Hizbollah fighters clashed in ground battle on the Lebanese side of the border on Wednesday (July 19). Two Israeli soldiers were killed, and nine were wounded, Israeli medics said. Israeli troops crossed the border to raid suspected Hizbollah posts. Israeli tanks could be seen firing at locations in villages near the border Lebanese security sources said Israeli tanks and a bulldozer had crossed the border near Alma al-Shaab, a few kilometres from the coast, before pulling back a few hours later. They said the other incursion took place near Yaroun village further east. In Haifa some of the soldiers were brought to hospital by helicopter. Israeli civilians were also brought to Haifa's hospital. Rockets fired from Lebanon had landed in Haifa, hitting a house near the seafront, witnesses and medics said. One of the rockets hit an empty restaurant in Haifa's waterfront area. The blast blew out nearby windows and left a 4 metre deep crater. But while both Israel and Hizbollah exchanged fire, diplomats continued their efforts. In Jerusalem, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert met European Union's Foreign Policy Chief Javier Solana. A proposal to deploy international and Lebanese forces along the Lebanese border, may have been on the agenda. A U.N. delegation planned to suggest deploying Lebanese troops in southern Lebanon and enlarging an international force there to try to end fighting between Israel and Hizbollah, diplomats said. The delegation proposed steps include expanding the existing UNIFIL peacekeeping force in south Lebanon, though details about the size of the force and its rules of engagement have yet to be worked out. The Lebanese army would take control of an as yet undefined security zone in the southern part of the country, which has been dominated by Hizbollah since Israel ended a 22-year occupation in 2000. But Israeli government leaders said they would press ahead with their devastating offensive on Hizbollah targets in Lebanon. "It is for the first time that the international community didn't leave any doubt about who is the aggressor and who is the defender and what should be the orders of things. The G8 say give back, release the soldiers stop firing, dismantle the illegal armies," Deputy Israeli PM Shimon Peres said. Solana spoke about the toll the conflict is having on civilians. "It's the obligation of any responsible political person to try to find solutions for the problems, and when the problems start producing suffering for so many people, our obligation is even stronger, that is what we are trying to do," Solana said. But while diplomacy is taking its course, Israeli Defence Minister Amir Peretz said military objectives are being met. "I believe that the state of Israel would bring about the weakening of terror organisations so they would not dare to fire missiles at Israel sovereign territory. I believe that the international community understands that our demand to bring back the kidnapped soldiers to their families is a basic demand of which we have no intention to give up. But I also believe that this crisis can end," Peretz said. At least 285 people have been killed in Lebanon and 25 in Israel. Hizbollah, backed by Syria and Iran, wants to swap two Israeli soldiers it captured on July 12 for Lebanese and Palestinians in Israeli jails. Israel is determined to drive the guerrillas from the south to halt cross-border rocket attacks.

ITN Source | July 19, 2006

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