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Fighting continued in Israel and Lebanon as Israel attacked targets in Lebanon using aircrafts and ships. Rockets also came from Lebanon and landed on the Israeli side of the border, Thursday.

Summary

Israeli aircraft launched missiles at Beirut international airport and damaged runways and fuel stores. Additional targets were attacked, including a Hezbollah run TV station, Al-Manar, which continued to broadcast after being targeted, but later went partially off air.

45 civilians and two Lebanese soldiers were reported killed as a result of Israeli overnight raids and 103 people were injured according to Lebanon. In some areas Israeli planes dropped leaflets warning residents to stay away from Hezbollah buildings[1].

The Israeli army said over 80 rockets were fired by Hezbollah into northern Israel Thursday. At least two civilians were said to have been killed and others injured.

The highway linking Beirut and Damascus is said to have been hit by five Israeli missiles at various points. [2] The highway is the only route out of the country after the airport was shut down, but witnesses said that the road was free from traffic when the missiles hit.

In a television interview, Wednesday July 12, Brigadier Gen. Dan Halutz had told Israel's Channel 10 if the soldiers were not returned Israel would "turn Lebanon's clock back 20 years". He also said of Lebanon "nothing is safe." [3]

Lebanon

Beirut International Airport

Israeli airforce attacked Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport in the Lebanese capital twice Thursday. The attack forced cancellation of all flights and the closure of the facility, police and airport officials said.

• In the first attack the runways were hit by rockets from planes.
• In a second attack two fuel tanks were hit by missiles from helicopters and exploded. The second attack occured after Haifia had been hit by two rockets.

Lebanon events

• Two Lebanese army air bases were attacked.
• Lebanon says two families of 10 and seven members respectively were killed in their homes in Dweir by Israeli weapons.
• Israeli planes dropped leaflets over Shiite areas of southern Beirut which told residents to stay away from Hezbollah buildings.
• The Hezbollah supported TV station Al-Manar was hit by an Israeli missile, but the broadcasting continued according to an offical at the station. However, an antenna in the town of Baalbek stopped transmitting. One person at the site was injured.
• A civic station near Baalbek was hit.
• Israeli navel forces set up a blockade of the Levantine coast.[4]
• The highway between Beirut and Damascus was hit by at least five missiles fired by an Israeli aircraft.

Notes

• Israel claims their offensive is in retaliation to Wednesday's attack by Hezbollah on an Israeli border patrol and what Hezbollah called the capture of two Israeli soldiers. Israel said the soldiers - Ehud Goldwasser, 31, and Eldad Regev, 26 - were kidnapped.

Northern Israel

Israel claims that at least two civilians died and others injured as over 100 rockets, which included the Katyusha and Thunder 1, landed in northern Israel, which included Haifia, Thursday. Israel said the attacks were from Hezbollah.

List of places attacked

• Two rockets were fired into Haifa, the third largest city in Israel. The attack did not result in any damage or injuries. Israeli police said both rockets hit the Stella Maris district of Haifia which is an area popular with tourists.
• A house in Nahariya, ten kilometers south of the Israeli-Lebanon border, was hit killing a woman, while 29 others were wounded.
• The town of Safed was hit by four rockets, one civilian was killed and 11 wounded. Of the three who sustained serious injuries, two were children.
• Rockets hit the town of Carmiel (Karmiel), but there were no injuries.
• In the village of Majdal Qrum (Majd el-Kurum) a civilian was injured.
• In the small town of Zirit a civilian was slightly injured.
• In an attack at night Mount Meron was hit by 10 rockets; there were no casualties.
• A civilian airstrip was damaged near Rosh Pina Hatzor.
• Rockets landed in Hatzor.

Notes

• Hezbollah denied the attack on Haifia but a spokesman said they would attack the city with its population of 270'000 if "Beirut or its southern suburbs are attacked," Hezbollah deputy leader Sheik Naim Kassem said.
• Nahariya Mayor Jackie Sabag urged residents to stay in their shelters. In Nahariya Hospital patients and pregnant mothers were moved to lower floors and underground shelter.
• Hezbollah say they have for the first time used a new rocket called "Thunder 1". This rocket are said to be more accurate than the Katyusha rocket the group has used earlier.
• Israeli ambassador to the United States said the attack on Haifia, Israel's third largest city, was an escalation. "They have more than 10,000 rockets. For them to do this, in Haifa is a major escalation," said Daniel Ayalon.

International reaction

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert had called the first Hezbollah attack on Israel "an act of war." Israel also blamed Iran and Syria for the attacks[5].

Hamas, the Palestinian group designated by USA and Israel as a terrorist organization, described Hezbollah's July 12 attack on Israel "heroic." [6] "This is a heroic operation carried out against military targets and so it is a legitimate operation, especially as it took place in occupied Lebanese territory," said Hamas political bureau membeMohammad Nazzal.

The European Union called Israel's use of force in Lebanon "disproportionate"[7] but demanded Hezbollah release the Israeli soldiers Israel said they kidnapped[8], whom Hezbollah had claimed as their captives.

The United Kingdom asked for "restraint on all sides". "We call for the urgent release of the kidnapped Israeli soldiers, and an end to attacks on Israeli towns and cities. And we urge all those countries with influence over Hezbollah and Hamas to play their part," said Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett. But "while Israel is entitled to do what is required to protect its security, it should do so in a way which does not escalate the situation and which is proportionate and measured, conforms to international law, and avoids civilian deaths and suffering."[9]

While a Whitehouse spokesman said America "recognised Israel's right to defend itself"[10], U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice asked Israel to be more restrained. Rice also told Syria to get Hezbollah to stop their attacks on Israel.

Lebanese ministers want a ceasefire with Israel.

The Arab League want an emergency meeting to discuss the Israeli-Lebanon crisis. Yeman asked for an official Arab summit. "We are concerned about an escalation," said an Arab League official.[11]

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said that an Israeli strike on Syria would be considered "attacking the whole Islamic world and this regime will receive a very fierce response".[12]

In related news, United Sates vetoed a UN condemnation of Israel on Thursday. The draft vetoed was proposed by Qatar and demanded that Israel pulled back its forces from the Gaza Strip. [13]

Economic impact

The turmoil in the Middle East has made its mark on the economical sector; oil is now trading at a record high $76.70 a barrel.

The stock market in Tel Aviv closed down 4.3 percent on Thursday and the current political situation is leaving the market concerned of what to come. The shekel has also slipped against the dollar. [14]

Other international events are also having it say on stock markets worldwide as investestors are keeping their eyes on North Korea and Iran's nuclear ambitions in addition to the situation in the Middle East.

Thomas McIntyre at McIntyre, Freedman & Flynn put it this way: "We're having a complete breakdown in attitude toward the stock market. In a declining market, everything that's wrong in the world seems more important." [15]

Sources

• "Israel attacks Beirut airport after rockets hit Haifa". CNN, July 13, 2006


• "Rockets hit Israeli city of Haifa". BBC News, July 13, 2006


• "Israel imposes Lebanon blockade". BBC News, July 13, 2006


• "Haifa, Nahariya hit by Hizbullah". Ynetnews, July 13, 2006


• Hagai Einav "Nahariya: Woman killed in Katyusha attack". Ynetnews, July 13, 2006


• Nadim Ladki "Israeli reprisals bash Lebanon". Reuters, July 13, 2006


• "Israel hits Beirut airport for 2nd time". AP, July 13,2006


• AP "Israel attacks runways at Beirut airport". International Herald Tribune, July 13,2006


• "Lebanese Hezbollah guerrillas fire volleys of rockets at Israel". the star online, July 13,2006