Monday, August 14, 2006
26. Israel/Lebanon War 2006: Ceasefire Violations
14 August 2006, Monday, Day 1:
In the one incident that occurred Monday, IDF troops killed a Hezbollah man who had opened fire on them in southern Lebanon, hours after the United Nations-brokered truce took hold, but the cease-fire held. In mid-morning, IDF soldiers shot dead the Hezbollah fighter, who sprang from a hiding place and opened fire at them. The clash took place near the village of Ghanduriya, in central south Lebanon. Senior IDF officers said the incident fell within guidelines allowing for resort to weaponry. The guidelines allow troops to fire at Hezbollah members who pose a mortal and immediate threat. According to the officers, the Monday incident did not jeopardize the cease-fire.
Israeli troops killed six Hezbollah fighters Monday in southern Lebanon, in four separate skirmishes that illustrated the fragility of an hours-old cease-fire. Despite the incidents, the UN-imposed truce ushered in a calm that the border region had not witnessed for more than a month, with the first tentative signs that people on both sides could begin rebuilding their homes and lives. A tense calm took the place of more than a month of bitter fighting between Israel and Hezbollah as guns were stilled at 8.00 A.M. Monday. In one of the incidents that occurred Monday, IDF troops killed a Hezbollah man who had opened fire on them in southern Lebanon, hours after the United Nations-brokered truce took hold, but the cease-fire held. In mid-morning, IDF soldiers shot dead the Hezbollah fighter, who sprang from a hiding place and opened fire at them. The clash took place near the village of Ghanduriya, in central south Lebanon. Senior IDF officers said the incident fell within guidelines allowing for resort to weaponry. The guidelines allow troops to fire at Hezbollah members who pose a mortal and immediate threat. According to the officers, the Monday incident did not jeopardize the cease-fire. Tension was high before and after the deadline.
About 10 rockets were fired inside southern Lebanon late Monday, the Israeli military said early Tuesday. The Israel Defense Forces initially said the weapons were Katyushas -- which are commonly used by Hezbollah -- but have since stepped back from that.
The rockets landed inside Lebanese territory, and Israeli forces will not respond to their firing, a military spokesman said.
15 August 2006, Tuesday: Day 2:
Meanwhile, IDF soldiers killed five armed Hezbollah gunmen in two separate incidents in southern Lebanon on Tuesday afternoon. In accordance with IDF open-fire regulations, the soldiers shot at Hezbollah militants whom they felt were posing a threat.
About four mortar rounds were fired inside southern Lebanon after the cease-fire, which went into effect early Monday, according to the IDF. But none hit Israeli territory, and Israel decided not to respond, the IDF said.
Minor clashes between Hezbollah fighters and Israeli soldiers also occurred, and at least six Hezbollah militants were reported killed.
19 August 2006, Saturday: Day 6:
Hezbollah claims it foiled IDF raid near Baalbek
IDF officer killed in commando raid in east Lebanon; Raid aimed to prevent arms deliveries to Hebzollah
An Israel Defense Forces officer was killed and two other officers were wounded - one seriously - during a commando raid near the Hezbollah stronghold of Baalbek in eastern Lebanon early Saturday.The political echelon decided to authorize the operation despite the UN-brokered cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah. Hezbollah's Al-Manar TV said the unit was transported by helicopter before dawn, and was being driven in two vehicles to raid the office of senior Hezbollah official Sheikh Mohammed Yazbek in the village of Bodai before being intercepted by Hezbollah militants. A battle erupted and the troops were forced to retreat.
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Lebanese sources said the troops were carried in two Lebanese army vehicles and were wearing Lebanese army uniforms. Lebanese security officials later said that three Hezbollah guerrillas were killed in the fighting, but Hezbollah sources claim their operatives emerged from the battle unharmed. IDF officials voiced skepticism at Hezbollah's claim.Army sources said the vehicles came under heavy fire, and that "we had great luck that the operation didn't result in 10 fatalities in the unit." They said that it was thanks only to the troops' resourcefulness and courage that the unit did not suffer a far greater tragedy.Earlier Saturday, Israeli aircraft fired several rockets at a target in a Hezbollah stronghold in eastern Lebanon, a Lebanese security source said.The IDF said the assault aimed to disrupt arms smuggling to Hezbollah from Iran and Syria and that such operations would continue until "an effective monitoring unit" was in place to prevent Hezbollah from rebuilding its arsenal."Special forces carried out an operation to disrupt terror actions against Israel with an emphasis on the transfer of munitions from Syria and Iran to Hezbollah," the IDF said, adding that the operation had achieved all its aims."If the Syrians and Iran continue to arm Hezbollah in violation of the (UN cease-fire) resolution, Israel is entitled to act to defend the principle of the arms embargo," Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev said. "Once the Lebanese army and the international forces are active... then such Israeli activity will become superfluous."The provincial government official, Bekaa Valley Gov. Antoine Suleiman, confirmed the troop landing. Following the battle, Israel Air Force helicopters fired missiles as the commandos withdrew, leaving the area within an hour.Witnesses at the site saw a destroyed bridge about 500 meters from the area where the landing took place. The witnesses said they believed it was destroyed by Israeli missiles.IAF warplanes crisscrossed the skies above Lebanon's eastern Bekaa Valley early Saturday near Baalbek, security officials said.The IAF has not attacked Lebanon since the UN cease-fire was implemented August 14.The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to release information to reporters, could not confirm whether there were any airstrikes.Similar overflights were reported in the area Friday night.
In the one incident that occurred Monday, IDF troops killed a Hezbollah man who had opened fire on them in southern Lebanon, hours after the United Nations-brokered truce took hold, but the cease-fire held. In mid-morning, IDF soldiers shot dead the Hezbollah fighter, who sprang from a hiding place and opened fire at them. The clash took place near the village of Ghanduriya, in central south Lebanon. Senior IDF officers said the incident fell within guidelines allowing for resort to weaponry. The guidelines allow troops to fire at Hezbollah members who pose a mortal and immediate threat. According to the officers, the Monday incident did not jeopardize the cease-fire.
Israeli troops killed six Hezbollah fighters Monday in southern Lebanon, in four separate skirmishes that illustrated the fragility of an hours-old cease-fire. Despite the incidents, the UN-imposed truce ushered in a calm that the border region had not witnessed for more than a month, with the first tentative signs that people on both sides could begin rebuilding their homes and lives. A tense calm took the place of more than a month of bitter fighting between Israel and Hezbollah as guns were stilled at 8.00 A.M. Monday. In one of the incidents that occurred Monday, IDF troops killed a Hezbollah man who had opened fire on them in southern Lebanon, hours after the United Nations-brokered truce took hold, but the cease-fire held. In mid-morning, IDF soldiers shot dead the Hezbollah fighter, who sprang from a hiding place and opened fire at them. The clash took place near the village of Ghanduriya, in central south Lebanon. Senior IDF officers said the incident fell within guidelines allowing for resort to weaponry. The guidelines allow troops to fire at Hezbollah members who pose a mortal and immediate threat. According to the officers, the Monday incident did not jeopardize the cease-fire. Tension was high before and after the deadline.
About 10 rockets were fired inside southern Lebanon late Monday, the Israeli military said early Tuesday. The Israel Defense Forces initially said the weapons were Katyushas -- which are commonly used by Hezbollah -- but have since stepped back from that.
The rockets landed inside Lebanese territory, and Israeli forces will not respond to their firing, a military spokesman said.
15 August 2006, Tuesday: Day 2:
Meanwhile, IDF soldiers killed five armed Hezbollah gunmen in two separate incidents in southern Lebanon on Tuesday afternoon. In accordance with IDF open-fire regulations, the soldiers shot at Hezbollah militants whom they felt were posing a threat.
About four mortar rounds were fired inside southern Lebanon after the cease-fire, which went into effect early Monday, according to the IDF. But none hit Israeli territory, and Israel decided not to respond, the IDF said.
Minor clashes between Hezbollah fighters and Israeli soldiers also occurred, and at least six Hezbollah militants were reported killed.
19 August 2006, Saturday: Day 6:
Hezbollah claims it foiled IDF raid near Baalbek
IDF officer killed in commando raid in east Lebanon; Raid aimed to prevent arms deliveries to Hebzollah
An Israel Defense Forces officer was killed and two other officers were wounded - one seriously - during a commando raid near the Hezbollah stronghold of Baalbek in eastern Lebanon early Saturday.The political echelon decided to authorize the operation despite the UN-brokered cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah. Hezbollah's Al-Manar TV said the unit was transported by helicopter before dawn, and was being driven in two vehicles to raid the office of senior Hezbollah official Sheikh Mohammed Yazbek in the village of Bodai before being intercepted by Hezbollah militants. A battle erupted and the troops were forced to retreat.
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Lebanese sources said the troops were carried in two Lebanese army vehicles and were wearing Lebanese army uniforms. Lebanese security officials later said that three Hezbollah guerrillas were killed in the fighting, but Hezbollah sources claim their operatives emerged from the battle unharmed. IDF officials voiced skepticism at Hezbollah's claim.Army sources said the vehicles came under heavy fire, and that "we had great luck that the operation didn't result in 10 fatalities in the unit." They said that it was thanks only to the troops' resourcefulness and courage that the unit did not suffer a far greater tragedy.Earlier Saturday, Israeli aircraft fired several rockets at a target in a Hezbollah stronghold in eastern Lebanon, a Lebanese security source said.The IDF said the assault aimed to disrupt arms smuggling to Hezbollah from Iran and Syria and that such operations would continue until "an effective monitoring unit" was in place to prevent Hezbollah from rebuilding its arsenal."Special forces carried out an operation to disrupt terror actions against Israel with an emphasis on the transfer of munitions from Syria and Iran to Hezbollah," the IDF said, adding that the operation had achieved all its aims."If the Syrians and Iran continue to arm Hezbollah in violation of the (UN cease-fire) resolution, Israel is entitled to act to defend the principle of the arms embargo," Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev said. "Once the Lebanese army and the international forces are active... then such Israeli activity will become superfluous."The provincial government official, Bekaa Valley Gov. Antoine Suleiman, confirmed the troop landing. Following the battle, Israel Air Force helicopters fired missiles as the commandos withdrew, leaving the area within an hour.Witnesses at the site saw a destroyed bridge about 500 meters from the area where the landing took place. The witnesses said they believed it was destroyed by Israeli missiles.IAF warplanes crisscrossed the skies above Lebanon's eastern Bekaa Valley early Saturday near Baalbek, security officials said.The IAF has not attacked Lebanon since the UN cease-fire was implemented August 14.The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to release information to reporters, could not confirm whether there were any airstrikes.Similar overflights were reported in the area Friday night.
