Hizbollah kills 3 Israeli soldiers in Lebanon

Tyre, Lebanon, Aug 4: Hizbollah guerrillas killed three Israeli soldiers in ferocious fighting in south Lebanon today, as Israeli forces tried to expand areas of control under cover of heavy bombardment.

Lebanese security sources said the guerrillas detonated roadside bombs and fired anti-tank rockets and assault rifles at Israeli forces occupying seven small enclaves in south Lebanon.

The guerrillas also battled forces trying to launch new incursions near the village of Markaba and a strategic hill near the coastal town of Naquora.

Israeli aircraft launched more than 100 strikes on targets across the south while artillery pounded areas close to the border with hundreds of shells.

Hizbollah said in a statement its guerrillas destroyed a tank and battled infantry units near Markaba, just inside Lebanon, from midnight, inflicting several Israeli casualties.

In another statement, the group said there was house-to- house fighting in the village of Aita al-Shaab overnight.

Al Arabiya television said three Israeli soldiers were killed and two wounded by a missile strike in south Lebanon. It gave no further details.

Four Israeli soldiers were killed in similar fighting today.

Israel said yesterday it had carved out a zone containing 20 villages 6 to 7 km (3.7 to 4.3 miles) from the border and the army, which already has some 10,000 soldiers in the area, said it had a plan to clear a 15 km (9 mile) security area in south Lebanon, if authorised.

Hizbollah, which triggered the war by capturing two Israeli soldiers on July 12, had killed at least 68 Israelis, including 41 soldiers, before the latest report.

Reuters

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