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News services report that three explosions have been heard in [[Beirut]]. Hezbollah TV reports that the airstrike destroyed a building containing the headquarters of Hezbollah, with Hezbollah's chief, [[Hassan Nasrallah]], likely inside. He was not harmed, however, and has since released a videotape.<ref>{{cite news|title=Israeli ships, planes renew Beirut airport attacks|date=[[2006-07-14]]|accessdate=2006-07-14|publisher=[[CNN]]|url=http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/07/14/mideast/index.html}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Israel Strikes Beirut; Hezbollah Barrages N. Israel With Rockets|date=[[2006-07-14]]|accessdate=2006-07-14|publisher=[[Fox News]]|url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,203453,00.html}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Israel destroys Hezbollah headquarters in south Beirut|date=[[2006-07-14]]|accessdate=2006-07-14|publisher=[[Drudge Report]]|url=http://www.drudgereport.com/flash7hb.htm}}</ref>
News services report that three explosions have been heard in [[Beirut]]. Hezbollah TV reports that the airstrike destroyed a building containing the headquarters of Hezbollah, with Hezbollah's chief, [[Hassan Nasrallah]], likely inside. He was not harmed, however, and has since released a videotape.<ref>{{cite news|title=Israeli ships, planes renew Beirut airport attacks|date=[[2006-07-14]]|accessdate=2006-07-14|publisher=[[CNN]]|url=http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/07/14/mideast/index.html}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Israel Strikes Beirut; Hezbollah Barrages N. Israel With Rockets|date=[[2006-07-14]]|accessdate=2006-07-14|publisher=[[Fox News]]|url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,203453,00.html}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Israel destroys Hezbollah headquarters in south Beirut|date=[[2006-07-14]]|accessdate=2006-07-14|publisher=[[Drudge Report]]|url=http://www.drudgereport.com/flash7hb.htm}}</ref>


At least 15 Lebanese villagers, including 9 women and children, were killed on [[July 15]] in an Israeli air strike on vehicles fleeing a village in southern Lebanon, a witness said. The convoy left the border village of [[Marwahin]], was refused asylum in a U.N. base and afterwards it was attacked.
At least 15 Lebanese villagers, including 9 women and children, were killed on [[15 July]] in an Israeli air strike on vehicles fleeing a village in southern Lebanon, a witness said. The convoy left the border village of [[Marwahin]], was refused asylum in a U.N. base and afterwards it was attacked.
<ref>{{de icon}}{{cite news|url=http://www.stern.de/politik/ausland/:Nahost-Krise-Neue-Angriffe-Beirut/565731.html|title=
<ref>{{de icon}}{{cite news|url=http://www.stern.de/politik/ausland/:Nahost-Krise-Neue-Angriffe-Beirut/565731.html|title=
Zwölf Tote bei Angriff im Süden Libanons|accessdate=2006-07-15|publisher=[[Stern Online]]}}</ref> It is also reported that some hours before the strike, Israeli forces had told the inhabitants of the village to evacuate by loudspeaker.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.naharnet.com/domino/tn/NewsDesk.nsf/getstory?openform&7A36B5C335B9F6BAC22571AC003AE7A3|title=Bloodiest Day in Israel's War on Lebanon Kills Over a Dozen Civilians|accesdate=2006-07-15|publisher=Naharnet}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://today.reuters.com/News/CrisesArticle.aspx?storyId=L1553110|title=Fleeing Lebanon villagers caught in Israeli inferno|date=[[2006-07-15]]|accessdate=2006-07-15|publisher=[[Reuters]]}}</ref>
Zwölf Tote bei Angriff im Süden Libanons|accessdate=2006-07-15|publisher=[[Stern Online]]}}</ref> It is also reported that some hours before the strike, Israeli forces had told the inhabitants of the village to evacuate by loudspeaker.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.naharnet.com/domino/tn/NewsDesk.nsf/getstory?openform&7A36B5C335B9F6BAC22571AC003AE7A3|title=Bloodiest Day in Israel's War on Lebanon Kills Over a Dozen Civilians|accesdate=2006-07-15|publisher=Naharnet}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://today.reuters.com/News/CrisesArticle.aspx?storyId=L1553110|title=Fleeing Lebanon villagers caught in Israeli inferno|date=[[2006-07-15]]|accessdate=2006-07-15|publisher=[[Reuters]]}}</ref>

Revision as of 03:02, 16 July 2006

2006 Israel-Lebanon crisis
Part of the 2006 Arab-Israeli conflict
File:54368.jpg
Israeli Naval enlisted personnel survey the coast of Lebanon from the Israeli naval blockade.
Date12 July 2006 – present
Location
Result Conflict ongoing
Belligerents
Israel Israel File:Flag of Hezbollah.svg Hezbollah
Lebanon Lebanon
Commanders and leaders
Dan Halutz (Chief of Staff)
Udi Adam (Regional)
Hassan Nasrallah
Michel Sulaiman
Casualties and losses
15 civilians killed
500 civilians injured[1]
10 soldiers killed
6 soldiers wounded[1]
2 captured soldiers[1][2][3]
1 warship damaged
1 tank destroyed[4]
(Israeli media accounts)
100 Lebanese killed [5][6]
217 Lebanese injured[7]
3 soldiers killed
(Lebanese government accounts)

The 2006 Israel-Lebanon crisis is a series of military actions, predominantly in Lebanon and northern Israel. The hostilities began on 12 July 2006, when Hezbollah completed their Operation True Promise; after Hezbollah's "promise" to free prisoners in Israeli jails, [8] Israel then responded with Operation Just Reward which later became Operation Change of Direction[9].

Hezbollah's military wing staged a cross-border attack on two Israeli Humvees. The attacks came two weeks after the beginning of the Gaza-focused Operation Summer Rains. Three Israeli soldiers were killed and two were captured and taken into Lebanon. In response, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) launched a military offensive into Lebanon. In the following days, hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah increased to a point of both parties exchanging tough rhetoric and escalating into deadly military campaigns. On 12 July Israel called the abductions an "act of war" warranting a "severe and harsh response" and threatened to "turn Lebanon's clock back 20 years."[10] Following several days of Israeli attacks Hezbollah declared an "open war".[11]

Historical background

Hezbollah is a Lebanese Shi'a Muslim organization that has a military and civilian wing, the latter participating in the Lebanese parliament, taking 18% of the chairs (23 out of 128) and the bloc it forms with others a little more than twenty percent. It is a minority partner in the current Cabinet. Hezbollah is considered a terrorist organization by Israel[citation needed], the European Union[citation needed] and the United States [12], but as a legitimate combatant and political actor by many countries, some of which don't recognize the state of Israel, but others, including the UN, that do[citation needed].

The United States and Israel say that Hezbollah is given financial and political assistance, as well as weapons and training, from Iran and Syria. Syria says it supports Hezbollah, but denies supplying it with weapons.[13]

In 1978, Israel invaded Lebanon and occupied the southern part of the country in response to PLO raids, resulting in the United Nations passing UN Resolutions 425 and 426, which called for the immediate withdrawal of Israeli forces and an end to military action in Lebanon[14].

Israel again invaded Lebanon in 1982 citing the attempted assassination of its ambassador to UK Shlomo Argov and occupied southern Lebanon until 2000. During this 18-year period, Israeli troops were involved to varying degrees in a number of incidents, most notably the Qana shelling[15] and the Sabra and Shatila Massacre which was carried out by Lebanese Maronite Christian militias in the territory that was at the time under Israeli military control.[16]

Since that time, Hezbollah's military wing has set up bases of operation throughout Lebanon. In 2004 a new Security Council resolution was issued, Security Council resolution 1559 which calls for the disbanding of any armed militias operating in the area, with Lebanon being required to disband Hezbollah. Hezbollah has repeatedly launched attacks on Israeli forces in the Shebaa Farms area, a territory which the United Nations security council has ruled is an occupied territory of Syria, and not part of Lebanon.[17][18] Israel has carried out numerous air assaults aimed at striking Hezbollah bases. Hezbollah has fired mortar rockets into Israel.[19][20][21][22][23]

During an attack on Shebaa Farms in October 2000, Hezbollah captured three IDF soldiers who were killed either during the operation or in its immediate aftermath. Hezbollah sought to obtain the release of 14 Lebanese prisoners in exchange, together with Palestinian prisoners. The prisoner swap was carried out on January 29: 30 Lebanese and Arab prisoners, the remains of 60 Lebanese militants and civilians, 420 Palestinian prisoners, and maps showing Israeli mines in South Lebanon were exchanged for an Israeli businessman and army reserve colonel captured in 2001, and the remains of the three IDF soldiers mentioned above. Three Lebanese nationals are still held in Israel's prisons[citation needed] (namely Samir Kuntar, jailed in Israel since a 1979 attack in Nahariya, in which he entered an apartment and murdered three family members and an Israeli police officer)[citation needed].

Current conflict

Hezbollah raid

At 9:05 AM local time on July 12 2006[1] Hezbollah's military wing launched a barrage of 9K51 Grad rockets[citation needed] and mortars on Israeli towns and military positions along the Lebanese border, apparently as a diversion.[24] A force of infiltrators then moved 200 meters into Israel, attacked two armoured IDF Humvees patrolling the border near the Israeli village of Zar'it with anti-tank rockets[citation needed], killing three soldiers and taking the remaining two in captivity to Lebanon's territory. Hezbollah has named this operation "True Promise."

The IDF confirmed that two Israeli soldiers were captured by Hezbollah, and identified them as Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev. An Israeli Merkava Mark II tank was damaged by a 300 kg improvised explosive device as it attempted to pursue Hezbollah into Lebanon. All four of the crew members were killed. Another Israeli soldier was killed when he came under heavy fire during an attempted recovery of the bodies from the tank.[4] In all, 8 soldiers were killed, 2 captured and 5 wounded.[1]

Hezbollah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah said that a prisoner exchange was the only way to secure the release of the soldiers.[25]

Israeli response

Israel retaliated with air strikes, carried out by the Israeli Air Force (IAF), destroying bridges and civilian infrastructure in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah's television channel Al-Manar has claimed a total 55 civilians were killed. [26]

An unnamed 'senior IDF officer' was quoted as saying that the strike was targeted against rocket launch sites and rocket storerooms, although many of them were intentionally located in population centers.[27][28] An unnamed Lebanese official responded that "Hezbollah did not store arms in civilian areas.” [28] Airstrikes were also carried out against outposts of Hezbollah.[29] Israel has named the overall operation "Just Reward."

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert declared the attack by Hezbollah's military wing an "act of war" and promised Lebanon a "very painful and far-reaching response." Israeli Defense Minister Amir Peretz also said[29] that "the State of Israel sees itself free to use all measures that it finds it needs, and the (Israeli Forces) have been given orders in that direction." Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Dan Halutz said "If the soldiers are not returned we will turn Lebanon's clock back 20 years." As of 15 July, it has not been confirmed if the two captured soldiers (Israel's casus belli for invading Lebanon) are in fact still alive and within the Lebanese borders.

Israel called up reserve troops, signaling a large-scale campaign, as operations continue in an attempt to free a soldier captured by Hamas in Gaza. Israel sent troops and tanks into southern Lebanon, and the Israeli cabinet met at 7 PM Local Time, 4 PM UTC, Noon Eastern Time, 12 July 2006.[29]

Hezbollah declared an all-out military alert, and said it had 13,000 rockets capable of hitting towns and installations far into northern Israel. As a result, Defense Minister Peretz told commanders to prepare civil defense plans.[30][31]

Early on 13 July 2006 Israel sent IDF jets to bomb Lebanon's international airport near Beirut, forcing its closure and diverting its arriving flights to Cyprus. Israel also targeted Hezbollah's al-Manar television station, but Hezbollah continued transmission from another location. Hezbollah retaliated by bombarding the Israeli towns of Nahariya and Safed, as well as villages nearby, with 9K51 Grad rockets. The attacks killed two civilians and wounded 29 more.[32] Nahariya residents began leaving the city en masse in fear of further Katyusha attacks.[33]Israel is now imposing an air and sea blockade on Lebanon, [34][35] and has bombed the main Beirut-Damascus highway.

Israel's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Mark Regev claims the Hezbollah unit that captured the two soldiers are trying to transfer them to Iran. However, the spokesman did not disclose his source.[36]

Lt.-Gen. Udi Adam of the Northern Command, says Israel has not ruled out sending ground forces into Lebanon.[37]

Residents of Haifa, Israel, are reportedly being ordered into bomb shelters;[38] an estimated 220,000 people across northern Israel have gone into shelters.[39]

Israeli Defense Minister Amir Peretz has declared martial law throughout north Israel.[40]

On 15 July 2006, three Patriot anti-ballistic missiles were deployed in Haifa. These are aimed at intercepting missiles launched at Haifa. The last time Patriot missiles were deployed to the region was in 2003.[41]

Attacks on Lebanon

Lebanese security officials say Israeli attacks have killed 100 civilians, three soldiers and three members of Hezbollah.[42] Twelve members of one Lebanese family died when Israeli planes bombed their home in the Lebanese village of Zibqine, near Tyre. In Dweir, a small village near Nabatiye, Israeli planes dropped a bomb onto the home of a local Shia Muslim cleric, killing him, his wife and eight of his children. Another family from that same village lost seven members following an Israeli bomb.[43][44] Israel intensified its response on Lebanon by attacking the Beirut International Airport and damaging three runways.[45] Israel announced that it imposed an air, land and naval blockade on Lebanon. Israel attacked Hezbollah's TV station Al-Manar and radio station Al-Nour in Haret Hreyk (Harat Hurayk), a southern suburb of Beirut, and in Baalbeck. On 13 July, Israeli warplanes bombed the road to Damascus, the capital of Syria.[46]

Map of conflict as of 14 July 2006.

Israeli jets attacked two Lebanese military air bases, destroying runways (allegedly used by the Hezbollah to transfer supplies). Attacks against the Rayak air base in the eastern Bekaa Valley near the Syrian border and the Qulayaat military airport (also known as Kleyate or Rene Mouawad airport) in northern Lebanon were the first attacks against Lebanon's army in the conflict.[47][48][49][50]

Israel has now attacked Beirut's international civilian airport four times and has destroyed the airport fuel depots. Israel has also neutralised the third and final military airport by bombing its runways.[50][51][52]

Israeli planes have struck a bridge in a suburb south of Beirut, a place highly valued by Hezbollah. They also struck a power plant's fuel storage south of Beirut (but did not destroy the plant itself). People living in this region heard at least three strikes. No casualties have been reported yet.[53]

According to the BBC, Lebanese police also reported an Israeli air strike early on Friday on a pro-Syrian Palestinian group in eastern Lebanon. The base of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine - General Command is less than two kilometres from the Syrian border.[54]

News services report that three explosions have been heard in Beirut. Hezbollah TV reports that the airstrike destroyed a building containing the headquarters of Hezbollah, with Hezbollah's chief, Hassan Nasrallah, likely inside. He was not harmed, however, and has since released a videotape.[55][56][57]

At least 15 Lebanese villagers, including 9 women and children, were killed on 15 July in an Israeli air strike on vehicles fleeing a village in southern Lebanon, a witness said. The convoy left the border village of Marwahin, was refused asylum in a U.N. base and afterwards it was attacked. [58] It is also reported that some hours before the strike, Israeli forces had told the inhabitants of the village to evacuate by loudspeaker.[59][60]

Attacks on Israel

Besides the initial raid, Hezbollah militants targeted several Israeli towns with 9K51 Grad rockets and there have been civilian injuries, as well as a 40-year-old woman who was killed in Nahariya, a 33-year-old man who died of his wounds in Safed, and a five year old and his grandmother who were killed in Meron.[61][62][63]

Hezbollah has threatened to hit the city Haifa, "if the southern suburbs and the city of Beirut are subjected to any direct Israeli aggression". Two rockets hit the city, hours after the threat.[64] Hezbollah denied firing any rockets at the city.[65][66] IDF sources have reported that two rockets were fired from inside Lebanon.[67][52][65] The attack is the first time rockets have hit so far south into Israel. One shock injury has been reported.[52]

Map showing Israeli localities attacked by rockets from Hezbollah .

There have been reports that the missile fired at Haifa was a Fajr 7, supplied by Iran, and possibly even launched by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps. These missiles have a range of approximately 75 km.[68] Another source has confirmed that Israeli military sources say the rockets fired into Israel were at least made in Iran.[69]

The Jerusalem Post reported that an attempt by a group of Hezbollah members to enter Israel was stopped by IDF on 14 July.[70]

Some 220,000 Israeli civilians spent Thursday night in bomb shelters, after two civilians were killed in rocket attacks.[39] 14 Israelis remain hospitalized following Thursday's rocket attacks. [71]

On 14 July Hezbollah launched about 100 Katyusha rockets on Israeli towns of Nahariya, Safed, Hatzor HaGlilit, Rosh Pina, Kiryat Shmona, and Karmiel, and in the agricultural settlements Mattat, Sasa, Peki'in, Beit Jan, Biria, Biranit, Kabri, Gesher Haziv, Saar and Ben Ami, resulting in 30 injuries. [62][72] Late the same day, a Katyusha in Meron killed two people, a grandmother and her 5-year-old grandson.

Also on 14 July, the Israeli Sa'ar 5-class missile boat INS Hanit that was blockading the waters, 10 nautical miles off of the Lebanese coast was severely damaged in the stern after reportedly being hit by an unmanned aerial vehicle packed with explosives. However, a high-ranking Israeli military official told reporters the ship was struck by an Iranian C-802 land-to-ship missile. [2][3], [4] [73]Israel has recovered one body, and three remain missing.[74][75]

Further to the attack on the Israeli missile boat, AP is reporting that according to the IDF a civilian merchant ship was hit by a Hezbollah rocket on the 14 July. [76] No details were given regarding the nationality of the vessel or whether or not there were any casualties. On July 15, the BBC reports to have confirmation from Egypt's Transport Ministry that it had been an Egyptian ship heading towards Syria that had been hit and damaged in this attack.

On the afternoon of 15 July Hezbollah attacks extended further south, with Katyusha rockets hitting Tiberias, 35 km south of the Israeli-Lebanon border.[77]

Casualties

Israeli: Ten Israeli soldiers were killed, two abducted and five more wounded.[1] Four civilians have been killed, and another 500 civilians were injured, 56 seriously[78]. The INS Hanit was fired upon and heavily damaged. The Israeli newspaper Jerusalem Post reports three IDF Sailors missing, one confirmed dead [79].

Lebanese: Three Hezbollah members have been killed as well as three soldiers in the Lebanese army.[80] So far 100 Lebanese civilians have been killed and another 203 have been wounded as of July 14.[81].

Foreign nationals:

  • The Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry has reported that two Kuwaiti nationals have been killed.[82]
  • A family of four Brazilians, including two children, was killed in the Israeli bombings in Srifa,[83] drawing condemnation from foreign relations minister Celso Amorim.[84]
  • Four members of a German-Lebanese family from Moenchengladbach were killed in an Israeli air raid in Chehour in southern Lebanon. [85]
  • An Argentinian woman died in the Hezbollah rocket attack on Nahariya.[86]

Possible expansion and resolution

There are concerns of escalation. According to Professor Gerald Steinberg, a Senior Research Associate at the pro-Israeli Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies, "Israel may have to take alarming force as an outcome of the latest attacks, which may even result in the disarming of the Hezbollah," and that "Lebanon continues to allow these terrorist activities to take place within its borders and therefore the Lebanese government plays a key role in the reoccurrence of these events."[87]

DEBKAfile, an Israel-based website, has claimed that Iranian national security advisor and senior nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani flew to Damascus. According to the report, he will remain there for the duration of the crisis in line with an Iranian-Syrian mutual defense pact, and would deem any attack on Syria an assault on Iran. DEBKAfile also claimed that Hezbollah "acted on orders from Tehran to open a second front against Israel, partly to ease IDF military pressure on the Hamas in the Gaza Strip". According to DEBKAfile, Iran is also taking up this action to divert attention at the upcoming G8 summit away from the Iranian nuclear crisis, and onto this flare-up instead. Finally, they report that both Syrian and Iranian armed forces have been brought to a state of high alert.[88]

Meanwhile, Israel has issued a warning to people living in a Shi’ite neighbourhood in southern Beirut, the Lebanese capital, telling them to leave.[5] It considers the area a Hezbollah base of operations.

As Hezbollah operates freely along the border with Israel and is a member of the elected government, Israel held the whole Lebanese government accountable and targeted strategic locations throughout the country.

According to Israel Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev, Hezbollah is attempting to transfer the kidnapped soldiers to Iran. Regev has not disclosed the source of this information.[89] But an Iranian foreign ministry spokesman denied the accusation, calling it "simply nonsense."[90]

The situation is further complicated by the thousands of foreign nationals who are stranded in the country. Although at least 15,000 tourists and Lebanese citizens fled via road into Syria on 13 July, an Israeli strike on that road has now made travel into or out of the country much more difficult.

On 14 July Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert outlined three conditions for the Israeli operation to end: full implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1559 calling for the disarming of Hezbollah, an end to rocket attacks from Lebanon on Israeli towns, and the return of the two abducted soldiers.[91]

Also on 14 July Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said that Hezbollah is ready for "open war" with Israel.[81] In addition, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the president of Iran, warned Israel of a "fierce response" if it attacks Syria. [92]

Again on 14 July the ruling party in Syria, Baath, said that Syria fully backs Hezbollah against the "barbaric Israeli aggression".[93]

A report in Al-Hayat on July 15 mentioned rumours in Washington, D.C. of an Israeli ultimatum to Syria to stop Hezbollah's activity along Israeli border, and force the release of the two captured Israeli soldiers in 72 hours, or it would face serious consequences.[94] Al-Hayat's source refused to confirm or deny the rumours.

The report said "a senior Pentagon source warned that should the Arab world and international community fail in the efforts to convince Syria to pressure Hizbullah into releasing the soldiers and halt the current escalation, Israel may attack targets in the country."

Al-Hayat quoted the source as saying that "the US cannot rule out the possibility of an Israeli strike in Syria."

On 15 July, in response to the report of an Israeli ultimatum, an officer with the Israel Defence Force stated that it wouldn't be right to bring Syria into the campaign.[95]

International reaction

International reaction to the crisis for the most part has been condemning both Hezbollah and Israel. Many nations also have expressed concern over a possible escalation of the conflict. [96] A few nations (most notably the United States[97], Britain, Germany and Canada) have acknowledged Israel's right to self-defense but have urged restraint, while some others such as Syria, Morocco and Yemen, have given support to Lebanon and Hezbollah[98]. Several representatives from the United Nations were sent to the conflict zone to evaluate the situation.

On July 15, President Bush called upon Syria to exert its influence over Hezbollah militants to get them to "lay down their arms".

References

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  83. ^ Template:Pt icon"Itamaraty confirma morte de brasileiros no Líbano". Globo. 2006-07-13. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  84. ^ Template:Es icon"IBrasil consternado por ataque que mató a cuatro brasileños en el Líbano". La Tercera. 2006-07-13. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  85. ^ Template:De icon"Deutsch-libanesische Familie umgekommen". Süddeutsche Zeitung. 2006-07-14. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  86. ^ Template:Es icon"Naharía, la ciudad del norte israelí donde una argentina murió bajo fuego de Hezbollah". Clarín. 2006-07-13. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  87. ^ "'Israel may have to take alarming force'". Jerusalem Post. 2006-07-12. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  88. ^ "'Iran's national security adviser Ali Larijani flies to Damascus aboad special military plane Wednesday night as war tension builds up around Hezbollah abduction of two Israeli soldiers'". DEBKAfile. 2006-07-12. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
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  92. ^ "Ahmadinejad: Israel would not dare to move against Iran". Haaretz. 2006-07-14. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  93. ^ "Syria says fully backs Hizbollah against Israel". Reuters. 2006-07-15. Retrieved 2006-07-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  94. ^ Template:Ar icon"The Pentagon does not rule out Israel striking "vital targets" in Syria". Al-Hayat. 2006-07-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Text "http://www.daralhayat.com/world_news/americas/07-2006/Item-20060714-6ec278d0-c0a8-10ed-01ce-4de861deeb16/story.html" ignored (help)
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  96. ^ Developments in Israel-Lebanon Crisis
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  98. ^ Arabs divided over Hezbollah's role in Lebanon crisis - Deutsche Presse-Agentur - July 15, 2006