Israel: Offensive stops when Hezbollah stops

Attack kills six civilians, including three children

April 13, 1996
Web posted at: 10:50 p.m. EDT (0250 GMT)

BEIRUT, Lebanon (CNN) -- Hezbollah militants rained a volley of Katyusha rockets on the Northern Israeli town of Kiryat Shmonah Saturday after an intense Israeli air attack in Lebanon left six civilians, including three children, dead.

Reuters, quoting security sources, reported that Israeli forces fired a barrage of rockets near the southern Lebanon town of Nabatiyeh early Sunday. It was not immediately known if there were casualties in the latest attack in Israel's four-day assault on suspected militant pockets in Lebanon.

Israel defended the helicopter attack on an ambulance in the port city of Tyre, saying a Hezbollah guerrilla was also traveling in the vehicle. But the attack underlined the escalating horror of the conflict; of those killed, three were aged 3, 6, and 7. At least eight passengers were wounded. (1.1M QuickTime movie [Warning: graphic content])

"If there were children killed I am sorry for it, but they were operating in a place from where Hezbollah fired Katyushas (rockets) and where we had warned residents to evacuate," said the head of Israel's northern command, Maj. Gen. Amiram Levine.

Israel told residents of 40 Lebanese villages and towns including Tyre early Sunday to leave their homes before it began renewed pounding of the region. The message was carried over the radio station of the Israeli-backed South Lebanon Army.

Israeli officials said the Hezbollah rockets caused no injuries to people in Kiryat Shmonah, but one hit a power line, plunging much of the town into darkness.

Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres said Israel's military offensive in Lebanon would continue until Hezbollah guerrillas stopped rocketing northern Israel. Peres is under pressure to stand firm against Islamic militants, especially with national elections due next month.

"We do not intend to go back in there. But neither do we intend to let the Hezbollah fire Katyusha rockets at Kiryat Shmonah," Peres told a cheering crowd in the city of Haifa Saturday.

Hundreds of thousands flee south Lebanon

An estimated 200,000 people have reportedly fled their homes in south Lebanon as Israel imposed a naval blockade on Beirut, and its jet fighters, helicopter gunships and artillery batteries bombarded the region for a third day Saturday.

The continued offensive against the Shiite Muslim Hezbollah group, code-named "Grapes of Wrath," is a concerted bid to wipe out suspected hideouts of the Hezbollah and is Israel's gravest military action in south Lebanon since it invaded the region in 1982.

Israel's attacks follow weeks of growing tensions between both sides. On Tuesday, about 30 Israelis were injured when Hezbollah fired rockets into northern Israel.

Lebanon Saturday said it would protest to the U.N. Security Council against the Israeli onslaught, which has killed at least 21 people in south Lebanon.

Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri began a diplomatic mission to seek Syrian, Egyptian and French support to end the Israeli assault. Lebanon has also reportedly called for an emergency meeting of the 22-nation Arab League.

Violence in the region threatened to spiral as Palestinian militants said they may renew their deadly suicide bombing attacks in Israel and a Hezbollah leader said he had activated a "human bombs battalion."

"I call on all the suicide fighters to join their stations," Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah said. "These are the days when holy war and martyrdom are sweetest ... the enemy will be sorry."

The United States has urged Syria, which has some 40,000 troops in Lebanon, to intercede with its allies in Lebanon.

But concerns grew that Israel's blitz might draw Syria into the conflict after Syria said one of its soldiers was killed and seven were wounded Thursday by Israeli fire.

Syrian-Israeli peace negotiations are stalled and a confrontation could dim chances for a settlement.

Hezbollah has been fighting for years to drive out Israeli soldiers, who occupy the southern Lebanon enclave to defend against cross-border raids on Israel.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

Related stories:

• U.S. withholds criticism of Israel's attack
• Six civilians die in Israeli rocket attack
• Israel pledges continued attacks on Lebanon - April 12
• Israel repeats strikes on Beirut - April 12
• Transcript of interview with Prime Minister Rafic Al-Hariri of Lebanon about recent bombings - April 12
• Cycle of retaliation, counter-retaliation heats up in Mideast - April 12
• Israel's war against Hezbollah moves to Beirut - April 11
• Israeli forces strike Beirut - April 11

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