Wednesday, August 04, 2010

Israeli/Lebanese Skirmish Starts

The Lebanon situation breaks down again -
The border tensions brewing for weeks on the Lebanese-Israel border boiled over Tuesday, Aug. 3 into a heavy exchange of cross-border fire. Lt. Col. Dov Harari, 45, from Netanya, batallion commander of the eastern Lebanese sector was killed in a surprise Lebanese cross-border attack. He was killed by what Maj. Gen. Gady Eisencott, OC Northern Command, later called one of two, well-planned, unprovoked "sniper ambushes" set by the Lebanese army - one against a group of Israeli officers standing behind the border fence and the second an RPG attack on an Israeli tank. Israeli captain Ezra Lakiya, from Kfar Arif, was seriously injured. He turned the corner on the road to recovery Thursday after major surgery.

Lebanon reported three soldiers and one civilian killed in Israel's heavy retaliation for the attack.

Israel decided on all-out retaliation because the attack was so completely unprovoked, he said, referring to the tank, artillery and helicopter fire the IDF launched against Lebanese army positions. When the Lebanese commanders asked for a ceasefire to evacuate their wounded, "We acceded to their request but then too they shelled one of our tanks. The tank gun fired on the shooters."
The Real Effect
This is something that we have had renewed discussions here over the last year and continued over the last five years. Let us not forget the incident in which Israel violated Lebanon's airspace back in January.

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