Israel thread #2

[Stephanie]

Fighter bombers wipe out major TV networks transmission towers, knocking 3 stations off air, downing phones

Israeli fighter bombers? I'm assuming that's who it is.

[Janice]

I don't think Lebanon has any planes at all.

[Janice]

Israeli sends tanks into Lebanon

AVIVIM, Israel (CNN) -- Israel sent tanks and troops across the Lebanese border Saturday in the 11th day of its military offensive against Hezbollah militants.

But Israeli military officials and diplomatic sources insisted that they do not plan an immediate full-scale ground invasion.

The reinforcements headed to a village where troops have already set up positions. (Watch tanks roll through orchards into Lebanon -- 2:59)

Hezbollah guerrillas fired barrages of more than 100 rockets from southern Lebanon into Israel on Saturday, continuing the conflict that began with militants capturing two Israeli soldiers.

At least 263 people have been killed and at least 624 wounded in Lebanon since July 12, when the Israeli airstrikes began, according to official Lebanese sources.

The Israel Defense Forces said 15 civilians and 19 soldiers in Israel have been killed, and more than 300 people have been wounded.

About 5,000 Israeli troops are massed at the Lebanese border as speculation grows that the military -- which so far has relied mostly on air power -- will launch a major ground offensive.
'Cleansing' operation

Israeli forces headed for the Lebanese border village of Maroun al-Ras, where Israel is trying to establish a foothold in what was regarded as a Hezbollah outpost, just over the border from the Israeli town of Avivim. (See map of area)

The IDF told Lebanese civilians to leave villages in southern Lebanon by 4 p.m. local time (9 a.m. ET), passing the message through local media, such as radio, and community leaders, it said.

The Israel military says it is trying knock out the infrastructure of Hezbollah along the border and attempting to "cleanse" the area along the border for about half a mile -- possibly the beginning of a buffer zone. Among the targets were bunkers and weapons stockpiles, officials said.

Israeli military spokesman Capt. Erik Snider told CNN that the nature of Israeli movements into southern Lebanon was "still limited in scope. At the same time we are expanding our operations slightly" to establish footholds in areas where Hezbollah has been active.

"The ultimate goal of our operations close to the border is to eliminate the infrastructure and the posts established of Hezbollah over the past six years since Israel pulled out of Lebanon," Snider said.

Another Israeli military spokesman, Lt. Col. Olivier Rafowicz, said "Israel is not preparing any invasion into Lebanon" and has "no intention of doing it."

Diplomatic sources said the campaign against Hezbollah could last another two to three weeks. Under that scenario, a cease-fire supported by a political solution would follow, the sources told CNN.

That solution would include the Lebanese Army and a new international force to take control of southern Lebanon.

Israeli airstrikes pounded Lebanon on Saturday, destroying at least six transmission towers north of Beirut, a Lebanese government official and Arab media reported. The attacks disrupted television and phone service, including cell phones, throughout northern Lebanon.(Watch workers dig through rubble of tower for survivors -- 4:00)

One Lebanese Broadcasting Corp. employee was killed and two others were wounded during the strikes at Mount Lebanon, according to the LBC.

Other strikes hit near Tripoli and Batroun.

On the other side of the border, a dozen people were wounded in northern Israel, including two in Nahariya and Carmiel, according to ambulance services.

One Israeli soldier at an outpost in northern Israel was moderately injured, officials said. It was unclear whether the fire was from a rocket.

In Haifa, at least seven air raid sirens have sounded, and several rockets landed in an open area.

Rockets also targeted the area around Avivim.

The United States and Israel consider Hezbollah a terrorist organization. The group, which has claimed responsibility for terrorist acts, also operates an extensive network of social services in Lebanon. Its political wing holds seats in the Lebanese parliament.

[Janice]

IMO, I think the Hezbollah are about finished. Israel is taking over villages and doing a lot of damage in Southern Lebanon. The Hezbollah cannot compete with the Israel military and planes. Unless they have a secret weapon, I do not see them lasting long.

[x-y-no]

IMO, I think the Hezbollah are about finished. Israel is taking over villages and doing a lot of damage in Southern Lebanon. The Hezbollah cannot compete with the Israel military and planes. Unless they have a secret weapon, I do not see them lasting long.

That's overly optimistic, IMHO. They're doing what guerrilla forces always do when confronted by overwhelming force - they're dispersing.

The question is how effectively has Israel cut off lines of retreat. Israel's strategy has been to trap as many Hezbollah fighters as possible in the south by destroying roads/bridges/airstrips etc. But there's still the countryside to withdraw through.

The other interesting question is how much of Hezbollah's supplies were cached in the south. That plays abig role in how much their capabilites have been degraded (assuming Israel is able to locate and destroy any such southern caches).

[stormtruth]

IMO, I think the Hezbollah are about finished. Israel is taking over villages and doing a lot of damage in Southern Lebanon. The Hezbollah cannot compete with the Israel military and planes. Unless they have a secret weapon, I do not see them lasting long.

If only. Problem is Hezbollah is quite capable of fighting a ground war. They are also spread out and have cells in numerous countries including the U.S. -- unless Israel is planning on bombing the USA they aren't going to get those cells.

Ground Wars are extremely difficult to win in urban combat situations. Everyone knows Iraq is in extremely bad shape but also look at Afghanistan. The most senior British commander now says Afghanistan is bordering on anarchy.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/afghanistan/s ... 79,00.html

We are now facing two increasingly difficult ground wars -- meanwhile Israel is about to start a ground war they can't win. Meanwhile our economy is really starting to suffer from the costs of these wars. It isn't a pretty picture.

[x-y-no]

It isn't a pretty picture.

I'll agree 100% with that.

[Janice]

Yes, you guys are probably right. They will have to fight dirty to compete with the Israeli military. What scares me, what is their hidden weapon. Some help from a foreign country and some powerful missle or bomb? I think the Israeli military will give them a run for their money. But, the Hezbollah also will fight to the end. Poor civilians. They are the one who will get killed and suffer the most.

[Lindaloo]

IMO, I think the Hezbollah are about finished. Israel is taking over villages and doing a lot of damage in Southern Lebanon. The Hezbollah cannot compete with the Israel military and planes. Unless they have a secret weapon, I do not see them lasting long.

If only. Problem is Hezbollah is quite capable of fighting a ground war. They are also spread out and have cells in numerous countries including the U.S. -- unless Israel is planning on bombing the USA they aren't going to get those cells.

Ground Wars are extremely difficult to win in urban combat situations. Everyone knows Iraq is in extremely bad shape but also look at Afghanistan. The most senior British commander now says Afghanistan is bordering on anarchy.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/afghanistan/s ... 79,00.html

We are now facing two increasingly difficult ground wars -- meanwhile Israel is about to start a ground war they can't win. Meanwhile our economy is really starting to suffer from the costs of these wars. It isn't a pretty picture.

Do you have proof any Hezbollah cells are right here in the United States? Never underestimate Israel.

Our economy was suffering long before all this. Our economy started suffering because of 9/11.

[Brent]

Do you have proof any Hezbollah cells are right here in the United States? Never underestimate Israel.

This has been talked about on the news... apparently U.S. officials believe there are. I think there were here before the situation with Israel started though...

[wx247]

Yes, the cells have been here for a while. They were a big concern actually whenever the US was preparing for war with Iraq.

Here are some interesting reads:

http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/temp ... p?CID=2494
http://www.newsmax.com/archives/article ... shtml?s=lh
http://www.wcnc.com/news/local/stories/ ... 9f9c3.html
http://fdd.typepad.com/fdd/2006/05/more_on_hezboll.html

I also found CNN and Fox News transcripts dating back to October 2001 detailing the threat of Hezbollah cells in the US. If you would like, I can link you to those as well.

[Lindaloo]

Thanks you two. Wow Garrett, have I tuned everything out. That is scary, for sure!!

[Derek Ortt]

Syria is back to spewing venom, saying they will intervene if Israel comes "too close" to their border.

Let them intervene, one less terrorist regime that we have to worry about

[Skywatch_NC]

I've heard that Raleigh is home to a Jihad group...not sure if they have ties to Hezbollah though.

[ericinmia]

Syria is back to spewing venom, saying they will intervene if Israel comes "too close" to their border.

Let them intervene, one less terrorist regime that we have to worry about

I have been waiting for two weeks already... As 'horrible' as this may sound to some. The SOONER the conflict between Syria and Iran and the world occurs; the sooner the solution will come to fruitition. I don't believe in leaving problems for my childrens generation that i was too timid/freightend/or lazy to face and solve.

We have a voluntier army, but if the security of this nation was called into question... you can guarantee i would be one of the first in line to defend her.

[Bella]

Have any of you been watching certain news channels online? They consistanly show wounded, scared, children (mostly one channel). I e-mailed this one in particular and asked them to knock it off. Is there a forum for venting about things like these? I don't want to get banned, but this is something I feel VERY strongly about.

Thanks.

[Aquawind]

Have any of you been watching certain news channels online? They consistanly show wounded, scared, children (mostly one channel). I e-mailed this one in particular and asked them to knock it off. Is there a forum for venting about things like these? I don't want to get banned, but this is something I feel VERY strongly about.

Thanks.

It is incredible and I feel the same way, but we don't want to get into Politics here..

http://www.storm2k.org/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=80635

[Bella]

Have any of you been watching certain news channels online? They consistanly show wounded, scared, children (mostly one channel). I e-mailed this one in particular and asked them to knock it off. Is there a forum for venting about things like these? I don't want to get banned, but this is something I feel VERY strongly about.

Thanks.

It is incredible and I feel the same way, but we don't want to get into Politics here..

http://www.storm2k.org/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=80635

Thanks, Aqua. Precisely why I chose my words very carefully. It's good to know I'm not the only one that feels this way and now I'll let it drop at that.

I appreciate the links!

[stormtruth]

Here is Some More Depression News:

The Washington Times says a group of 1,500 elite shiite fighters are headed to Lebanon from Iraq to help Hezbollah fight Israel. These are the people that were oppressed under Saddam's tyrannical rule and now they are leaving to fight Israel. I can't get to the story itself but this article quotes it:
http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/Iraqi ... _0724.html

Israeli Kids Scrawl Grafitti on Bombs

Helicopter crashes

It looks like Condi is on her way so maybe the fighting will not last much longer.

[Aquawind]

Bring on the Elite fighters.. Let them come out in the open...

They will get their Elite A@@ kicked..