Air strikes alone aren’t doing the job, apparently:
Israel, meanwhile, hinted at a full-scale invasion. It warned residents to flee a nearly 20-mile swath of south Lebanon along the border. Its warplanes also launched new airstrikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold, shortly after daybreak, followed by strikes in the guerrillas’ heartland in the south and eastern Bekaa Valley.
The planes also bombed large parts of the south, from which Hezbollah guerrillas fired more rockets into Israel. On Wednesday, Israeli bombings killed as many as 70 people, according to Lebanese television, making it the deadliest day since the fighting began July 12.
U.N. Secretary-General
Kofi Annan told the Security Council that “hostilities must stop” between Israel and Hezbollah. He also condemned Israel’s “excessive use of force” in Lebanon.[…]The guerrillas have been fighting back hard on the ground, wounding three Israeli soldiers. An Israeli unit sent in to ambush Hezbollah guerrillas also had a fierce gunbattle with a cell of militants.
In another clash, just across the border from the Israeli town of Avivim, guerrillas fired a missile at an Israeli tank, seriously wounding a soldier. Hezbollah said its guerrillas destroyed two tanks trying to enter the Lebanese border village of Maroun al-Ras, across from Avivim.
Israel has mainly limited itself to attacks from the air and sea, reluctant to send in ground troops on terrain dominated by Hezbollah.
But an Israeli army spokesman refused to rule out the possibility of a full-scale invasion. Israel broadcast warnings Wednesday into south Lebanon, telling civilians to leave — a possible prelude to a larger ground operation.
All their options are open? If that was Bush or Cheney talking we’d know they were thinking about nukes, but somehow I don’t think the Israelis would go there. As for a ground assault, unless the Hizbollah missile attacks end soon, you can bet the farm on it. Israel is determined to eradicate Hizbollah from South Lebanon, even if it means destroying the entire country along with the terrorists. And don’t expect the IDF to call off the dogs if the Bush administration issues a STOP order next week. They know any threat Bush makes is toothless.
