Israel 'holds Hezbollah fighters'

[daleo]

Israeli forces have seized several Hezbollah fighters in an airborne raid on Baalbek, a stronghold of the group in east Lebanon, the Israeli army says.

After heavy air strikes on the area, an Israeli helicopter landed and clashes broke out with Hezbollah fighters, according to local reports.

At least seven people died in the raid, several in one house, witnesses said.

Israeli forces have also pushed deeper into south Lebanon aiming to set up what Israel dubs a "security zone".

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5237098.stm

[rockymountaindem]

1. Landing that far north took a lot of chutzpah

I'm impressed.

[jpkenny]

6. When you have all that weapontry and air power against virtually

a few thousand inaccurate missiles and no anti aircraft heat seeking guided missiles it doesn't take much chutzpah, just arrogance and will. Believe me, this is why Iran will never give up its right to nukes or any other kind of weapons. Nor should they.

[rockymountaindem]

7. Hardly

Look at our operation against the Iranians to try and rescue our hostages in 1980. When you're that far from your own base of operations, lots can go wrong.

[Robbien]

2. Just like Iraq. Three weeks of bombing civilians and now they have

to fight the militants one on one.

I suppose we now get to look forward to plenty of these stories of all the captured/killed militants; and how they have the militants on the run; and that there are only pockets of militants remaining.

[Zhade]

3. Welp, they're officially hypocrites now.

Gee, wasn't the causus beli for Israel's current war-crime-in-progress something similar?

[umtalal]

4. They are terribly fond of attacking hospitals and kidnapping patients

The Israelies are terribly fond of attacking hospitals and kidnapping patients...that is a tactic they have perfected in the Occupied Territories...

[Scurrilous]

5. 19 killed as Israel raids hospital

A Lebanese man carries the body of a child killed in Israeli air strikes targeting Dar al-Hikmah hospital in Baalbek.

<snip>

"The Israeli army said today it had seized Hizbullah fighters in a jet and helicopter raid that killed 19 people, including four children, around a hospital in eastern Lebanon.

Military sources said Israeli troops attacked guerrillas at the Dar al-Hikma hospital near Baalbek - an ancient city 80 miles north of the Israeli border - and took several of them to Israel."

<snip>

"At least 12 people were killed in an air strike on the village of Jammaliyeh near Baalbek. A missile hit the house of the village's mayor, Hussein Jamaleddin, instantly killing his son Ali, the mayor's brother Awad, and five other relatives, witnesses said."

<snip>

"A family of five were also killed in a strike on the village of Saath. Later Mr Olmert gave a defiant interview to Reuters. He said: "If indeed, as we hope, the international force will be an effective force made of combat units, then we will be able to stop fire when the international force will be on the ground in the south part of Lebanon."

Asked if that meant Israel would carry on fighting until then, Mr Olmert said: "Yes."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/syria/story/0,,1835529,00.html

[goclark]

8. Senseless nt