Israel counters Hizbollah death toll in morale war

JERUSALEM, July 26 (Reuters) The Israeli military said today that its forces had killed at least 130 Hizbollah men in two weeks of fighting, countering the Lebanese guerrillas' lower figure and signalling a struggle to keep up public morale.

Israel's estimate on Hizbollah dead came as Arabic media reported it had lost up to 13 troops in a dawn ambush inside southern Lebanon.

Israel Radio, prevented from detailing casualties pending notification of their next-of-kin, said the incident could be a ''turning point'' for public support that until now has been overwhelmingly strong for the war.

Military chief Lieutenant-General Dan Halutz said last week that an air offensive, launched after a July 12 border raid by Hizbollah in which eight soldiers died and another two were abducted, had killed ''around 100'' guerrillas.

More recent ground assaults against Hizbollah strongholds in southern Lebanon have killed at least another 30, the army said.

''There is fierce fighting, and we are not in a position to check the pulse of each and every enemy casualty,'' an army spokeswoman said.

Hizbollah's overall figure is more modest -- 28 of its fighters slain, according to a television statement put out by the group's leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah yesterday, as well as another 15 from the allied Lebanese militia Amal.

Israeli officials increasingly dismiss Nasrallah as a propagandadist. But some military brass note his history of making truthful claims on casualties, and say Hizbollah may not be able to reach combat zones and verify the extent of its dead.

MARTYRS Nasrallah accused Israel of exaggerating Hizbollah's losses as part of a psychological campaign.

''We do not hide our martyrs. If any of our leaders or ranks are killed, we announce that and take pride in that,'' he said.

Israel has confirmed losing 42 soldiers and civilians to Hizbollah rocket fire and ground attacks during the conflict.

It is far fewer than some 420 Lebanese killed by Israeli shelling, but still a blow to a Jewish state that sees military superiority as key to its survival, especially in the face of arch-foes Iran and Syria -- both patrons of Hizbollah.

Alon Ben-David, Israel analyst for Jane's Defence Weekly, said he sensed the military high command was putting a priority on documenting and publishing Hizbollah casualty figures.

Security sources said soldiers returning from the field are quickly debriefed on their Hizbollah ''hits''. Israeli spies report on funerals held in Lebanon, and whether the deceased were fighters.

Surveillance drones with thermal cameras circle over downed guerrillas; a faded figure denotes a cooling corpse.

''I think the military feels there is a morale boost to be had from letting the public know that Hizbollah is losing more men,'' Ben-David said. ''I think that is wrong. For Israelis dealing with major battlefield losses, the idea of greater enemy casualties is irrelevant.'' REUTERS MQA PM2221