Israel hits Lebanon, Marines help Americans leave

BEIRUT, July 20 (Reuters) A token force of US Marines landed in Lebanon on Thursday to evacuate Americans stranded by a nine-day-old Israeli bombardment that has killed more than 300 people but failed to stop Hizbollah rocket strikes on Israel.

It was the US military's first return to Lebanon since it withdrew in 1984, months after a Shi'ite Muslim suicide bomber destroyed a Marine barracks killing 241 US service personnel.

About 40 Marines arrived on a beach in a Christian area north of Beirut at dawn to ferry about 1,200 Americans to Cyprus as part of efforts to extract US citizens caught in a war zone like thousands of other foreigners, many of Lebanese origin.

The Marines, helped by Lebanese soldiers, sloshed through waves to carry women and children to the landing craft. Some frightened children cried, but many people smiled with relief.

''We are very happy to leave,'' said Lebanese-born American Fadia Semaan, fleeing with her husband and three children.

''We are used to war from 30 years ago, but the kids are not,'' said her husband, George.

''We are glad to be leaving, but also very sad. We left a lot of family behind with no food or money or anything else.'' Hizbollah, whose links to Iran and Syria raise fears the current conflict could spread, has not impeded the exodus of foreigners trapped in Lebanon by Israeli bombing of ports, airports and roads.

Israel is under pressure not to endanger the land and sea escape routes organised by embassies requesting safe passage for bus convoys to Syria and ferries to Cyprus, Greece or Turkey.

Instead, Israeli planes struck mostly at Shi'ite strongholds in the eastern towns of Baalbek and Hermel, the southern Beirut area of Bir al-Abed and several southern villages.

Two Israeli soldiers were wounded in fighting with Hizbollah guerrillas along the border with Lebanon, the Israeli army said.

Israeli troops have launched cross-border raids in recent days to try to stop Hizbollah firing rockets into northern Israel, where 15 civilians have been killed.

Israel has not ruled out a major thrust into Lebanon, but is wary of returning to territory it abandoned under the pressure of Hizbollah attacks in 2000 after a 22-year occupation.

Israel launched its offensive after Hizbollah captured two soldiers and killed eight in a cross-border raid on July 12. It has rejected Hizbollah's proposal for a prisoner swap.

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