IDF: We destroyed Lebanon’s coastal radars

Army continues massive attack on Hizbullah strongholds in south Beirut, strikes organization's High Council building, its spiritual leader's headquarters, and home of senior Hamas member in city

Roee Nahmias|Published: 07.15.06 , 19:12

The Israel Air Force continues its war against Hizbullah strongholds in Lebanon: Throughout the afternoon and evening hours on Saturday, the Israel Defense Forces continued to attack Hizbullah's stronghold in south Beirut, including Hizbullah's High Council and the organization's headquarters.

The al-Jazeera network reported that the IDF fired three missiles at the Tripoli port in north Lebanon. The Beirut port was also attacked.

Major-General Gadi Eizenkot, head of the General Staff Operations Branch, said in a briefing held at the Kirya base in Tel Aviv that “in the evening hours we destroyed all of Lebanon’s coastal radars. The reason for the radars’ destruction was the part they played in the attack on an Israeli missile boat on Friday, in which one soldier was killed and another three went missing.”

Brigadier-General Noam Page of the Navy said that the IDF was not aware that Hizbullah had in its possession a C802 missile of the type fired at the boat.

“We didn’t know such a missile threat existed in this sector, and therefore we didn’t act accordingly. In wake of the attack, we have instructed all our boats to act against this threat,” he stated.

Hizbullah members struck

During the day, the Air Force struck the offices and homes of three senior Hizbullah members and of a senior Hamas member across Lebanon.

IDF strikes in Beirut (Photo: AP)

The series of strikes began Saturday afternoon: The Air Force struck the headquarters of Hizbullah's spiritual leader Sheikh Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah, which is located in Beirut's southern suburb. The al-Jazeera network reported that the sheikh was not hurt in the attack.

In addition, IAF aircrafts attacked the office of senior Hamas official Mohammed Nazzal in Beirut. The office was completely destroyed, but sources in Hamas reported that Nazzal was not hurt.

On Saturday morning, 23 civilians were killed in an attack on a village in the Tyre area.

Baalbeck targeted

The IDF struck several targets in the Baalbeck area in the northern Lebanon valley throughout the day. Eyewitnesses reported that the Israeli Air Force attacked about seven times in the region and that an army drone has circled over the area for about four hours.

Lebanese news channel al-Mustakbal reported that one of the strikes was aimed against member of Hizbullah’s High Council, Sheikh Muhammad Yazbek. The report said the Yazbek’s condition was unclear.

Another strike in Baalbeck targeted the house of another senior Hizbullah official, Hussein Mussawi. According to initial reports, at least 20 people were injured in the attack, and it is uncertain whether Mussawi was among them.

Dozens of people were hurt Saturday in the series of IAF strikes in Beirut and Baalbeck.