Israel invades Lebanon

[Kaiser]

The closure of the airport on Thursday came after witnesses reported at least two strikes on the facility's eastern runway while Lebanese anti-aircraft batteries fired at Israeli fighter jets.

Until then, the bombing had targeted bridges linking south Lebanon to the rest of the country.

In southern Lebanon, at least 22 civilians were reported killed in overnight Israeli attacks, including a family of 12 in the village of Dweir, leading TV station LBC reported.

Israel has launched a series of air raids deep into Lebanon after fighters from Hezbollah, the Lebanese resistance group, killed eight Israeli soldiers and captured two in a cross-border attack.

Israel described Wednesday's attack as an act of war by Lebanon and promised a "severe response", with the government giving the green light to military action against Hezbollah after an emergency cabinet meeting.

'Appropriate severity'

"It is an act of war by the state of Lebanon," said Ehud Olmert, the Israeli prime minister, and the cabinet promised a response with "appropriate severity".

Nasrallah: Only feasible path to
free detainees from Israeli jails

At least two Lebanese civilians were killed in an Israeli air raid on a coastal bridge at Qasmiyeh, while bombs hit nine other bridges - including one 16km south of the Lebanese capital, Beirut.

Several suspected Hezbollah posts in south Lebanon came under Israeli air and land bombardment, while Hezbollah said it had bombed an army post in northern Israel shortly after midnight, causing several casualties.

Amir Peretz, the Israeli defence minister, told his commanders to prepare civil defence plans in case Hezbollah fired long-range rockets at Israeli cities and industrial installations.

Prisoner swap wanted

Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, leader of Hezbollah, said the soldiers had been seized to force Israel to release prisoners.

"What we did ... is the only feasible path to free detainees from Israeli jails," he told a news conference in Beirut.

Israel bombarded Lebanon from
land, sea and air
But Israel said on Thursday that it would not swap prisoners held in its jails for the two captured soldiers.

Gideon Meir, an Israeli foreign ministry official, said: "You don't negotiate with terror organisations.

"We expect the immediate release of the three servicemen - in the Gaza Strip, Gilad Shalit, and the two soldiers in south Lebanon - without any preconditions. No swap of prisoners," he said.

Corporal Shalit was captured by Palestinian fighters late last month.

Hezbollah celebration

The two Israeli soldiers were seized at about 9am (0600 GMT), across the border from Aita al-Shaab, 15km from the Mediterranean coast.

Three Israeli soldiers died in the raid, while four more were killed when their tank ran over a landmine. The eighth soldier died while helping recover the tank, the Israeli army said.

Nasrallah said Hezbollah had repelled an Israeli force that tried to enter Lebanon to find the captured soldiers.

The grandmother of slain Israeli
soldier Shani Turgeman grieves
Footage on Hezbollah's Al-Manar television showed a smouldering Israeli jeep. It also showed smoke rising from an Israeli border post.

Hezbollah supporters set off fire crackers and distributed sweets in the streets of Beirut in celebration of the attack.

Mothers of Lebanese prisoners in Israeli jails expressed hope to Aljazeera that the Hezbollah attack could increase the possibility of their relatives being freed, while in Gaza the families of some Palestinian prisoners also welcomed the attack.

UN demands soldiers' release

Following the incident, Lieutenant-General Dan Halutz, the Israeli army chief of staff, warned the Lebanese government that Israel would attack its infrastructure and "turn back the clock in Lebanon by 20 years" if the soldiers were not returned, Israeli TV reported.

Israeli troops have not struck so far into Lebanon since they withdrew from the southern border area in 2000. Hezbollah's Shia fighters had waged an 18-year campaign against them.

Kofi Annan, the United Nations secretary-general, called on Wednesday for an end to the violence and demanded that Hezbollah release the two soldiers.

"We would not want to see an expansion, an escalation of conflict in the region," Annan said.

Source Al-Jazeera

[The Hombrew Hunter]

Oh Jesus Christ in all of holy hell! Not another one!

[shadowprophet]

Im speachless

[The Hombrew Hunter]

If this ends up in another world f*cking war...

[Kaiser]

If this ends up in another world f*cking war...

I wouldn't be suprised if Israel had "complete" control of the country by noon tomorrow. After that expect insurgency attacks similar to what is going on in Iraq. It amazes me that the powerful nations of the world continue to attack countries posing little threat and are ignoring the big problem (North Korea). Shouldn't be too long until Japan invades that dangerous state however.

These times are dangerous ones.

[The Hombrew Hunter]

I wish weapons were never created. Besides knives and swords. Long live knives and swords.

[Darksaviour69]

Israel are not invading, thats too mush trouble , they are just blockadeing and killing as many as they can as punishment. Sounds like a great idea to stop terrorism to me.....0_0

[quzar]

I wouldn't be suprised if Israel had "complete" control of the country by noon tomorrow. After that expect insurgency attacks similar to what is going on in Iraq. It amazes me that the powerful nations of the world continue to attack countries posing little threat and are ignoring the big problem (North Korea). Shouldn't be too long until Japan invades that dangerous state however.

These times are dangerous ones.

6 day war anyone? Israel is just gonna bitchslap lebanon in order to crush all of their military forces then leave them that way.

[Kaiser]

6 day war anyone? Israel is just gonna bitchslap lebanon in order to crush all of their military forces then leave them that way.

Yeah, I definetley jumped the gun on that one. Seems Lebanon is gettign manhandled and "terrorized" into submission. I understand Israel is mad but this is not the way to handle this.

[GPF]

Isreal should say return our 2 soldier unharmed, or the 1000 prisoners you want released will be treated in the same manner you treat the 2 soldiers.