Israeli troops clashed with Hezbollah guerrillas on the Lebanese side of the border Wednesday, while Lebanon’s prime minister reported a death toll of 300 and demanded compensation from Israel for the “unimaginable losses” to the nation’s infrastructure.   

 As fighting entered its second week, Israeli warplanes flattened houses in south Lebanon and Hezbollah rockets made their first hit near Christian holy sites in Israel: Two rockets hit Nazareth _ the biblical hometown of Jesus _ killing two brothers ages 3 and 9 as they played outside, bringing the Israeli death toll to 29. At least 18 others were wounded in the attack. Washington said it won’t push Israel toward a fast cease-fire in the fighting, started July 12 after Hezbollah guerrillas captured two Israeli soldiers.

The latest fighting dealt a blow to efforts to send international peacekeepers to bolster the 2,000-member U.N. force in south Lebanon. As the conflict intensified, more than 1,000 Americans were evacuated Wednesday from Beirut’s port aboard a luxury cruise liner, the first large pullout by the United States after complaints of delays. European nations three days ago sent ships to evacuate thousands. Two U.S. Chinook helicopters also took 200 Americans to Cyprus. Addressing foreign ambassadors, including U.S. Ambassador Jeffrey Feltman, Prime Minister Fuad Saniora gave the first official death toll in the conflict, saying also that 1,000 have been wounded and a half-million displaced. He made an urgent appeal for an end to the fighting, saying Lebanon “has been torn to shreds.” In a swipe particularly at the United States, Saniora asked: “Is this what the international community calls self-defense? Is this the price we pay for aspiring to build our democratic institutions?” The International Red Cross, along with the U.N. children’s and health agencies, expressed serious concern about civilian casualties and health risks from the violence. Hezbollah claimed to have “repelled” Israeli forces near the coastal border town of Naqoura, and the Israeli army said two of its soldiers were killed and nine were wounded in the battle.

Hezbollah said one guerrilla was killed. Israeli bombers, previously focusing on Hezbollah strongholds in southern Beirut, hit a Christian suburb on the eastern side of the capital for the first time. The target was a truck-mounted machine used to drill for water that could have been mistaken for a missile launcher. The vehicle was destroyed, but nobody was hurt.

Source: Chron.com

Tags:Lebanon, Israel, War.

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