Date:22/07/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/07/22/stories/2006072203701600.htm

International

Israel threatens invasion

Atul Aneja

Hizbollah chief rules out unilateral release of kidnapped soldiers

DUBAI: Fighting between Israel and the Lebanese militant group, Hizbollah, is escalating despite the United Nations' call for a durable ceasefire.

In an interview to Al Jazeera television, Hizbollah leader, Hassan Nasrallah, reiterated that his group would not release the two Israeli soldiers that it had captured, unless Arab political prisoners in Israeli custody were freed.

"Even the whole universe would not be able to secure the release of the two Israeli soldiers unless there are indirect negotiations and an exchange of prisoners," he asserted.

Mr. Nasrallah appeared on the Arab satellite channel on Thursday within hours of what appeared to be a failed assassination attempt on his life. Israeli warplanes had unloaded 20 tonnes of bombs on a south Beirut bunker supposedly housing Hizbollah leaders.

Expressing defiance, Mr. Nasrallah said, "the leadership of Hizbollah has not been touched" in the attack.

He declared, "all of Israel's claims to have hit half of our missile potential and arsenal are nothing but erroneous words". Besides, he affirmed that his group would unveil "more surprises" soon.

The capture of the two Israeli soldiers by Hizbollah on July 12 triggered the Israeli military response targeting large parts of Lebanon.

Reiterating that Israel could step up its military response, Defence Minister Amir Peretz warned that a full-scale ground operation remained a possibility. "If we reach the conclusion that the ground operation is necessary, we will do it," he said.

Analysts point out that Israel was attempting to carve out a deep "buffer zone" in south Lebanon.

The Israeli daily Haaretz reported that the army was mobilising additional reserve battalions to enable the deployment of thousands of soldiers along the border with Lebanon and Gaza Strip. In an apparent preparation for a ground invasion, Israel warned residents in southern Lebanon to leave the area immediately. There has been heavy fighting along the Israel-Lebanon border during the last 24 hours. On Thursday evening, combat lasted for several hours around the village of Maroun Ras after Hizbollah fighters ambushed several Israeli soldiers.

Four Israeli soldiers were killed during multiple engagements. An Israeli pilot also died after two Apache helicopters apparently collided at midnight on Thursday.

On Friday, Israel persisted with heavy aerial bombardment, targeting bridges and heavy vehicles plying on the main road linking Lebanon to Syria.

Several air raids were also mounted against two Hizbollah strongholds — the ancient city of Baalbek, and south Beirut.