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Photo: Reuters
Injured evacuated
Photo: Reuters
Photo: Reuters
IDF soldiers in Lebanon
Photo: Reuters

Several soldiers injured in Aita al-Shaab battles

Fighters hurt during operation in southern Lebanese village where officer, two fighters were killed Tuesday. Earlier, five soldiers injured, one sustaining serious wounds. Ten terrorists killed in western region. Division 162 commander: So far 350 terrorists have been killed, infrastructures have been significantly damaged

Day 22 of fighting: Harsh battles continued Wednesday evening in the village of Aita al-Shaab in the western region of southern Lebanon. Several soldiers were injured during an operation in the village, which is close to the Israeli community of Zarit.

  

On Tuesday, three Israel Defense Forces soldiers were killed in the same village in two fighting incidents against Hizbullah members. Another 25 troops were lightly hurt, including an officer.

 

IDF reserve soldiers, operating in the western area in southern Lebanon, managed to kill about 10 Hizbullah terrorists. During the operation, an anti-tank missile was fired at the force, but no IDF soldiers were hurt. 

 

 

On Tuesday, anti-tank missiles were fired at the forces. An officer and an IDF soldier were killed by the first missile, and another soldier was killed by the other missile.

 

Although Aita al-Shaab is only about 1 kilometer (0.621 miles) away from the border with Israel, near Moshav Zarit, IDF officials made it clear that they would operate in any place in southern Lebanon where there are terror infrastructures and forces will be operated in different scopes, according to requirements.


Injured soldiers evacuated to Rambam Medical Center (Photo: Reuters)

 

Earlier Wednesday, a Golani soldier was severely wounded and two more soldiers suffered light injuries during IDF operations Wednesday morning in the village of Mahabib in southeast Lebanon.

 

The soldiers were part of the force that entered the village in the framework of the widening of the Israeli offensive against Hizbullah. The three soldiers were wounded and ten Hizbullah operatives were killed when gun-battles erupted on the ground.

 

On Wednesday morning, two tank soldiers were lightly wounded in a separate incident during operations in the village of Taybeh. The soldiers were hurt when an anti-tank missile was fired towards their tank. Paratroopers were continuing to operate in Aita al-Shaab in the central sector, and two soldiers were evacuated from the battlefield with light wounds.

 

'Encountering many surprises'

 

Brigadier-General, commander of Division 162, held a press conference in an army base near Kiryat Shmona, in which he said: "We are stationed in different depths, from the Litani to the sea, with capabilities according to decisions made by the political echelon, to develop the offensive to the required depth."

 

In the press conference, Brigadier-General Tzur explained about the activities of his division: "For a number of days now, IDF units are operation in southen Lebanon and infiltrating the area. The soldiers encounter various operation ground challenges day and night, as a result of the infrastructure created by Hizbullah, which is trying to prevent the entry into the area, as well as its organizational ability.

 

"The fighters and units are doing an excellent job. Within a short period of time they have overcome the obstacles Hizbullah it trying to place in front of them and have managed to reach the places we want.

 

"I can say in an unequivocal manner, and one can see it in Hizbullah's behavior from our intelligence, that every day there is an increasing military accomplishment which affects Hizbullah's ability, which is significantly hurt. However, they still have tolerance. If we have more time, the level of threat on us will significantly decrease and we will reach a situation in which our situation will be much better than our situation on the day our soldiers were kidnapped."

 

Brigadier-General Tzur noted that "this type of fighting is different from the fighting in the West Bank area, and years have passed since we fought in Lebanon. But we knew, we learned, we developed methods and have dealt with the method of operation we will use to attack.

 

"I am surprised by the speed in which our units are accumulating professionalism and eventually managing to deal with the challenges built for six years, within days. We have paid a price. The encounter itself brings many surprises in it. The price of learning is a price that could have been much heavier if the units had not been so professional, and if we did not have soldiers with such motivation."

 

Miri Chason contributed to the report

 


פרסום ראשון: 08.02.06, 19:20
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