Michelle Fakhry's List: Qt. 3 TP - Hezbollah kidnapping

• The Lebanese Shiite Hezbollah movement announced on Wednesday that its guerrillas have captured two  Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon. "Implementing our promise to free Arab prisoners in Israeli jails, our  strugglers have captured two Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon," a statement by Hezbollah said. "The two  soldiers have already been moved to a safe place," it added. The Lebanese police said that the two soldiers  were captured as they "infiltrated" into the town of Aitaa al-Chaab inside the Lebanese border. [Hindustan Times 7/12/06]

  • July 12

  • It was announced on Wednesday by Shiite Hezbollah that its guerrillas captured two Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon.
    Good quote about freeing the soldiers in Israel.
    
    
• The Lebanese Hezbollah movement announced Wednesday the arrest of two Israeli soldiers in southern  Lebanon. Lebanese police said that the two soldiers were arrested as they entered the town of Aitaa al-Chaab  inside the Lebanese border. Israeli aircraft were active in the air over southern Lebanon, police said,  with jets bombing roads leading to the market town of Nabatiyeh, 60 kilometers south of Beirut.

  • Police in Lebanon said that the arrest occurred as the Israeli soldiers were entering Aitaa al-Chaab inside the Lebanese border.
    Aircraft from Israel was set up over Southern Lebanon and there were jets bombing towards the market town of Nabatiyeh.

• HIZBULLAH KIDNAPS 2 IDF SOLDIERS DURING CLASHES ON ISRAEL-LEBANON BOARDER- ISRAEL RESPONDING

  • Citation: Harel, Amos. "SPME: Hizbullah Kidnaps 2 IDF Soldiers During Clashes on Israel-Lebanon Boarder- Israel Responding." Scholars For Peace In The Middle East: Home. Web. 17 May 2011. <http://spme.net/cgi-bin/articles.cgi?ID=804>.

• Hezbollah kidnapped two Israel Defense Forces soldiers on the northern border in the midst of massive shelling attacks on Israel's north Wednesday morning. The IDF confirmed two of its soldiers were missing on the Lebanese border.
   
   Hezbollah fighters attacked two IDF armored Hummer jeeps patrolling along the border with gunfire and explosives. The Hezbollah fighters nabbed two of the soldiers and wounded others in the Hummers.
   
   Immediately following the Hezbollah attack, the organization's Al-Manar television station began broadcasting clips calling on Israel to release Lebanese prisoners held in Israel. The Hezbollah demands emphasized the release of Lebanese militant Samir Al-Kuntar. Al-Manar also broadcast video clips of previous Palestinian and Lebanese attacks on IDF troops.
   
   

              

  "Fulfilling its pledge to liberate the (Arab) prisoners and detainees, the Islamic Resistance... captured two Israeli soldiers at the border with occupied Palestine," the Syrian- and Iranian-backed Hezbollah said in a statement.
   
   "The two captives were transferred to a safe place," it said, without stating what condition the soldiers were in.
   
   Immediately following the incident, IDF Chief of Staff Dan Halutz headed into the military's war room at the Defense Ministry complex, Channel 10 TV reported. In consultations, senior IDF officers called for an end to the restraint against Hezbollah and said Lebanon should be made to pay a heavy price.
   
   Halutz ordered the IDF to mobilize a reserve infantry division that was expected to be sent to Israel's northern border with Lebanon. General Staff exercises held over the past several years tested a number of possible responses to kidnapping scenarios. One of these responses involves the massive incursion of IDF ground forces into Lebanese territory. Military sources told Haaretz that Israel is liable to act with the aim of "altering the rules of the game on the northern front."

  • The two Israeli soldiers were kidnapped during the massive shelling attacks in the north on Wednesday morning.
    Fighters from Hezbollah attacked two IDF hummer jeeps that were patrolling across the order with explosives and gunfire. The Al-Manar TV station was releasing clips that were telling Israel to release the Lebanese prisoners that were in Israel.
    
    
• The IDF also ordered troops deployed on the Lebanon and Gaza borders on high alert in the event that armed groups may attempt to fire Katyusha and Qassam rockets into Israel.
   
   Two other Israelis were wounded when gunmen in Lebanon began pounding the IDF's Zarit position and other posts along the border before 9 A.M. According to Al-Manar, Hezbollah kidnapped the two IDF soldiers at 9:05 A.M. and transferred them to a safe location.
   
   The two Israelis were wounded either by mortar shells or rockets that slammed into Moshav Zarit. One was lightly to moderately wounded and the second was lightly wounded. Two other people suffered from shock. The wounded were evacuated to a hospital in Nahariya.
   
   IDF ground forces crossed into Lebanon in the early afternoon to search for the two kidnapped soldiers, Army Radio reported.
   
   The radio said large numbers of troops, as well as aircraft, were taking part in searches on the Lebanese side of the border.
   
   Hezbollah said its guerrillas destroyed an IDF tank attempting to cross the border into Lebanon.
   
   IDF responded to the attacks from Lebanon with heavy artillery and tank fire. Al-Manar television reported that IDF artillery was pounding the fringes of the villages of Aita el-Shaab, Ramieh and Yaroun in the hills east of the coastal border port of Naqoura. Israel Air Force struck roads, bridges and Hezbollah guerrilla positions in southern Lebanon, Lebanese security officials said. The air raids were apparently intended to block any escape route for the guerrillas who may be taking the captured IDF soldiers to areas further removed from the border in order to prevent an Israeli rescue mission.
   
   Lebanese security sources said two Lebanese civilians were killed and a Lebanese soldier was wounded in an IAF air raid on a bridge in south Lebanon on Wednesday. The Lebanese casualties occurred in the raid on the coastal Qasmiyeh bridge.
   
   The fighting apparently began when at least two rockets fired from south Lebanon exploded near Shlomi, located about 15 kilometers east of the Mediterranean coast, Reuters reported. Hezbollah guerrillas also attacked IDF positions in the Shaba Farms area to the east, Lebanese security sources said.
   
   Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said in response to the violence in the north that enemies are putting Israel to a test. He said they would fail in their efforts and would pay a "heavy price" for their actions.
   
   Olmert called a special cabinet session on Wednesday in the wake of the incident. Olmert's office said the cabinet would convene at 7 P.M. An official said the ministers would discuss "today's events".
   
   "These are difficult days for Israel and its citizens," Olmert told reporters. "There are elements, to the north and the south, that are threatening our stability and trying to test our determination," he said. "They will fail and pay a heavy price for their actions."
   
   Media reports said that before the cabinet meeting, Olmert would consult with IDF and security officials on a military response to the events on the border with Lebanon.
   
   Meanwhile, the Lebanese government-affiliated said Israel Navy warships had entered Lebanese territorial waters and IDF forces were massing in the border area.
   
   Defense Minister Amir Peretz demanded the Lebanese government act immediately to solve the crisis.
   
   The Defense Ministry said it held the Lebanese government "directly responsible" for their fate and safe return.
   
   "The Lebanese government is responsible for the fate of the Israeli soldiers, and must take immediate action to locate them without harming them and return them to Israel," the ministry said in a statement.
   
   The possibility of border clashes in the north was raised during security situation meetings over the past two weeks since the kidnapping of IDF soldier Gilad Shalit next to the Gaza Strip.
  

  • There was a search initiated by the IDF, when they crossed into Lebanon to try to find the soldiers.
    IDF responded with heavy machinery and weaponry.
    The beginning of the fighting was when two rockets were launched from south Lebanon and exploded near Shlomi.

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• Hezbollah seizes Israel soldiers

  • Citation: "BBC NEWS | Middle East | Hezbollah Seizes Israel Soldiers." BBC News - Home. Web. 17 May 2011. <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5171616.stm>.

• Planes struck outposts of the Hezbollah militant group in south Lebanon, as well as roads, killing two civilians. 

   Israel has called up reserve troops, signalling a large-scale campaign, as operations continue to free a soldier seized by Palestinians in Gaza in June. 

   Israel's PM Ehud Olmert said the attack was an "act of war" by Lebanon. <!-- E SF --> 

   Mr Olmert has said he holds Lebanon responsible for the fate of the two soldiers and that it would pay a "heavy price".  

   The prime minister has called an emergency cabinet meeting to discuss further action, although he has already ruled out negotiations. 

   "The Lebanese government, of which Hezbollah is a part, is trying to shake regional stability," he said at a press conference in Jerusalem. 

    "We are already responding with great strength," he said, threatening "very painful and far-reaching" action. 

   Soldiers' search 

   Israeli ground troops have entered southern Lebanon to search for the two soldiers, for the first time since Israel ended its occupation of south Lebanon six years ago. 

  • PM Ehud Olmert claimed it was an "act of war" by Lebanon.
    He also stated that Lebanon is the reason for the fate of the two soldiers that passed and that there would be a high cost.
    Troops were sent from Israel in an attempt to locate the kidnapped soldiers.
    
    

• Overnight, Israel carried out an air strike on a Gaza City house, killing at least six people and injuring 15. 

   On Wednesday morning, Hezbollah launched dozens of Katyusha rockets and mortar bombs at the Israeli town of Shlomi and at Israeli outposts in the Shebaa Farms area. 

   Later on Wednesday, Hezbollah said its fighters had destroyed an Israeli tank attempting to cross the border. An Israeli military spokeswoman said there had been a number of casualties.  

   Two civilians were killed when Israeli planes bombed a road bridge on major route though southern Lebanon. 

   Civilians in northern Israel have been told to stay in their shelters. 

   The UN representative in Lebanon, Geir Pedrson, has condemned the escalation and called on Hezbollah to release the soldiers. 

   Call for swap 

   Hezbollah said it captured the two Israeli soldiers at 0904 (0704 GMT).  

   A statement from the group said the two were taken to a "safe place". It did not mention whether they were alive or dead or injured.  

  • Israel - air strike on Gaza city house injuring 15 people and killing at least 6. Hezbollah launched Katyusha rockets and mortar bombs at and Israeli town and outposts, on Wednesday morning.
    The death of two civilians came about when Israeli planes bombed a bridge in southern Lebanon.
    Geir Pedrson, the UN representative in Lebanon called for the release of the soldiers.
    Safe place, no indication if alive dead or wounded.

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