Liveblogging the War: Friday July 14th

After I went to bed last night, the IAF struck a Shiite Muslim neighborhood of Lebanon, known to be a Hizbullah stronghold – a “place where the Hezbollah leaders, including Hassan Nasrallah, are located on a regular basis,” according to IDF spokeswoman Miri Regev. 3 people were killed, and 55 wounded. This is the neighborhood over which Israel had earlier dropped fliers, asking residents to stay away from the Hizbullah offices. Israel also targeted other locations, including a large fuel storage tank at a power station, a bridge in the southern suburb of Beirut, a PFLP base in east Lebanon.

For their part, Hizbullah have fired more Katushas this morning, which have landed near a Kibbutz in the central Upper Galilee.

Iran, the regime ultimately behind Hizbullah, have threatened Israel. Mahmoud “Gorilla Boy” Ahmadinejad said:

“If the Zionist regime commits another stupid move

and attacks Syria, this will be considered like attacking the whole

Islamic world and this regime will receive a very fierce response.”

In my opinion, Iran have started up with Israel – through Hizbullah – wanting precisely this to occur. They are aiming for a full scale, Arab-Israeli war, so he can make good on his promises to wipe Israel off the map. I really think we need to go after Iran. I’m just not sure how, and do not think it will be easy.

Meanwhile, Operation Summer Rains continues in Gaza, despite the relative lack of news about it now that focus has shifted to our northern border.

Updates (Israel time; most recent at top)

Saturday 15th updates here.

6:35PM: Lebanese blogger Doha:

By the way, the Israeli ambassador said that Hizbullah is launching its

rockets from civilian houses with children and women acting as hosts of

such rockets.

This is truely a brutal way of operating by

Hizbullah. I hate violence and death. Enough is enough; the Lebanese

government needs to take a stand. My country is wounded.

My thoughts are with the innocent Lebanese civilians caught up in this, thanks to Hizbullah, Syria, and Iran. It’s a shame that Israel now has to do what the Lebanese government has failed to do.

But from an Israeli blogger to a Lebanese blogger: stay safe and know that we here in Israel wish you absolutely no harm. We wish you what we wish for ourselves: the ability to live in peace and harmony.

6:20PM: It’s surreal to think that while my family goes to sleep as usual tonight, there are those families to the north of us who will be sleeping in their bomb shelters.



6:15PM:
Pajamas Media have drawn my attention to this news item:

Vatican deplores Israeli attack on Lebanon

I better keep my thoughts about the Vatican to myself..

5:50PM: Jacques Chirac is being, err, French.

President Jacques Chirac said Friday that Israel’s military offensive against Lebanon is “totally disproportionate” and asked whether destroying Lebanon was not the ultimate goal.

5:00PM: Big Pharaoh’s dad seems like a smart man.

My dad was a general in the Egyptian army. His comments are always so informative especially if they were related to a war that broke out. He had this to say about Lebanon:

This idiot Nasrallah. He is so funny. He keeps on issuing threats, he has no idea what he is talking about. What Israel is doing to him now is just gentle padding on the shoulders. Abou Shakha dah didn’t see what we saw. Israel fought on 3 fronts in 1967 and it was hell. I was there, I saw it all. He has no tanks, no boats, he has nothing except a few toys he got from Iran and it seems abu shakha dah don’t know that Israel confronted 3 of the most powerful armies in the region at the same time. If Israel wanted to brutally crush him it can do so in 1 hour.

*Abu Shakha dah literally means “this guy with the piss”. We use this slang term to refer to a grown up whose capabilities is of a baby who wets himself.

4:37PM: IDF spokeswoman Miri Regev has said that we have hit “dozens of rocket storehouses and stockpiles” belonging to

Hezbollah. Let’s hope this has severely depleted their estimated stockpile of around 10,000 Katushas.

4:30PM:
A Kassam fired from Gaza has landed in the western Negev, about 30 minutes drive from where I am staying. And let’s not forget the Katushas (we couldn’t, even if we tried), 3 of which have landed in Kiryat Shmona.

4:20PM: Hundred of families in central Israel have volunteered to host families from the northern border region who have fled

their homes.

4:15PM:
More grunts from Gorilla boy:

Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Friday that Israel, which has struck at Lebanon in its search for two captured soldiers, would not dare to move against the Islamic republic, state television reported.

I am hoping we will dare.

By the way, doesn’t he sound exactly like one of those one dimensional evil dudes from a B grade movie, just before they get their comeuppance?

4:10PM: Ok, now they’ve done it: even Peace Now is showing solidarity with Israel’s citizens in the North. And I don’t hear them condemning our military response.

4:00PM:
Lebanon’s Druze leader (and Mr Burns lookalike) Walid Jumblatt has said that we should not punish the Lebanese government and the country’s civilian infrastructure for the actions of Hizbullah, which is following Syria’s and Iran’s directions.

I don’t think Israel is punishing the Lebanese government, but is rather doing what is needed to punish Hizbullah.

3:45PM:
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has shown he firmly supports Israel (hat tip: Kateland)

Responsibility for the escalating violence in the Middle East rests entirely with those who have kidnapped Israeli soldiers, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Thursday.

Mr. Harper, on his first major international foray, hadn’t even touched down in Europe before aligning himself firmly with the United States and Israel in the latest conflagration.

‚ÄúIsrael has the right to defend itself,‚Äù the prime minister told reporters aboard a Canadian Forces Airbus en route to London, where he’s starting a week-long diplomatic mission.

‚ÄúI think Israel’s response under the circumstances has been measured.‚Äù

Israeli military incursions into Lebanon following the kidnapping of two of its soldiers threatened to toss the volatile region into full-scale war. While many countries are urging restraint, Mr. Harper said “the onus to end this escalation is on the other side, and I would urge them to return the prisoners.”

In a prepared statement delivered midway over the Atlantic Ocean, Mr. Harper said: ‚ÄúIt’s essential that Hezbollah and Hamas release their Israeli prisoners and any countries in that area that have influence on these organizations should encourage an end to violence and recognize ‚Äî and encourage the recognition of ‚Äî Israel’s right to exist.‚Äù

He said he found it “tremendously disappointing” that Palestinian organizations are launching attacks on Israel from a territory that Israel “voluntarily evacuated.” Israeli army withdrew from Lebanon in 2000.

—-

Mr. Harper’s unabashed pro-Israel stance, is sure to prove divisive at the G8 summit this weekend in St. Petersburg, Russia, which anchors Mr. Harper’s first major overseas foray as prime minister.

—-

Mr. Harper refused to be drawn into assessing whether Israel’s military incursion into Lebanon ‚Äî including the bombing of Beirut airport ‚Äî is too much, responding only that ‚ÄúIsrael has the right to defend itself.‚Äù

Thank you, Mr Harper.

3:38PM: The Syrian ambassador has told Hizbullah to halt the attacks..in a television interview. Who knows what the Syrians are telling them when not on camera.

1:52PM: I’m about to travel down South, so I’ll be back later in the day.

1:50PM: We’re about to get medieval on Hizbullah.

The Israel Defense Forces is planning to bomb Hezbollah headquarters in a densely populated area of south Beirut on Friday, a senior General Staff official told Haaretz.

The IDF said it has dropped leaflets warning civilians of the impending attack and that many of them have left the Shi’ite Dahiya quarter of south Beirut, where thousands of people live in multi-story residential buildings.

“We will atack more significant targets than we have attacked until now,” the officer said. “If we had chosen to bomb earlier, it would have ended with hundreds of civilians killed, and we took ethical considerations into account. On the other hand, we will not adopt a naive approach, and the model of terrorists hiding behind civilians will not be accepted.”

He said any civilian who chooses to remain in the area is putting his life in danger.

Hezbollah head Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah has his office and residence in south Beirut. Hezbollah’s Shura Council, its decision-making body, and the TV station are also located in that area, a section heavily guarded by Hezbollah.

1:47PM: And the Katushas keep coming.

1:45PM: The Jerusalem Post reports that the IDF has foiled an infiltration attempt by Hizbullah terrorist near an IDF post on the northern border.

12:57PM: This is worrying news:

Israel believes Hezbollah has missiles that can hit most of Israel, and which could even strike Be’er Sheva under optimum conditions.

Iran supplied Hezbollah with solid-fuel, Zelzal-2 missiles with a 200-km range, but these are not very accurate, since they do not have a self-guidance system.

The Zelzal-2 missiles, intended to strike broad targets such as communities and cities, are equipped with explosive warheads weighing up to 600 kilograms. The missiles are a later version of the Zelzal-1 missiles, which Iran first displayed in September 2005 at a military parade in Tehran, together with six Shihab-3 missiles.

That would put practically every main Israeli city within reach, and, in effect, the vast majority of the Israeli population.

12:32PM: The 2nd victim of one of the Safed Katusha attacks has now been identified as Nitzan Roseban, 33. He was seriously wounded when a Katusha landed near his motorcycle.

12:30PM: I am hearing some planes fly over my house.

12:10PM: Another Katusha has hit between Safed and Rosh Pina, with no casualties being reported.

12:00PM: The latest Israellycool Podcast is up at the podcast site. You can also listen by clicking here: 

On this week’s show, Erika and I talk about the current war going on, and try to give you a perspective on what the feeling is like here in Israel, as well as our views on what needs to be done.

Please feel free to leave a comment at the podcast site or voice message on the ‘Kool hotline (+206 888 5665).

11:15AM:
While I was podcasting, the Katushas were raining down on the Galilee, near Safed and at Rosh Pina. There have been no reports of injuries. Meanwhile, Hizbullah promise “further surprises.”

11:12AM: Have just recorded a podcast with my lovely wife Erika. I hope to have it up within the next 30 minutes.

9:57AM: Here’s an open request to Israeli PM Ehud Olmert from the Lebanese Foundation for Peace (hat tip: LGF).

Dear Mr. Prime Minister,

It was about time,

We Lebanese congratulate you on your recent actions against the Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure in Lebanon. We urge you to hit them hard and destroy their terror infrastructure. It is not Israel who is fed up with this situation, but the majority of the silent Lebanese in Lebanon who are fed up with Hezbollah and are powerless to do anything out of fear of terror retaliation.

Since Israel’s forced withdrawal in 2000, pulling out due to pressure from the Clinton Administration, Hezbollah has not for one day ceased its terror incentives, acts of war and provocations at the border. Hezbollah, with the help of Syria and Iran, turned Southern Lebanon into a terror base supported by 12,000 Iranian missiles threatening every initiative for Peace in general and the security of Israel in particular.

Unfortunately, the West should have understood from the beginning that diplomacy does not work with terrorism, neither the Saudi backed initiatives in Lebanon, it enforces terrorism and acts like a booster for Hezbollah justifications on the ground.

The Lebanese are trapped within their own nation.

We urge you not to hit Lebanese infrastructure, Lebanon is a friendly country, rather hit and destroy Hezbollah’s infrastructure in the country.

The IAF raids on suspected Hezbollah strongholds will have a limited effect on this terror organization; an infantry offensive is needed to clean up Southern Lebanon from the threatening missiles and launching bases , destroy Hezbollah infrastructure and consolidate security.

On behalf of thousands of Lebanese, we ask you to open the doors of Tel Aviv Ben Gurion airport to thousands of volunteers in the Diaspora willing to bear arms and liberate their homeland from fundamentalism. We ask you for support, facilitations and logistics in order to win this struggle and achieve together the same objectives: Peace and Security for Lebanon and Israel and our future generations to come.

As of the fighting continue in the north of Israel in order to create security, at the Lebanon Israel border, we ask the world’s nations to endorse your political action and wish you full success in your deterrence against terrorism’s autonomy in Southern Lebanon and Gaza.

Mr. Prime Minister,

Help Lebanon in order to help yourself.

9:48AM: Australian Prime Minister John Howard:

“This latest incident started because of the Hezbollah incursion into Israel against all of the resolutions of the United Nations, against all of the understandings now of international law..Do I think it’s appalling? Yes. Am I other than totally appalled at the loss of life on both sides? It is terrible...Like every other world leader, I would like it to stop…But you will never have any kind of lasting settlement in this part of the world until two things are accepted – there is an absolute acceptance of Israel’s right to exist in peace and be free of terrorist attacks, and there’s an absolute commitment to the emergence of a Palestinian state.” 

9:28AM: How’s this for plagiarism?

Ha’aretz:

Israel Air Force planes struck a Hezbollah stronghold, a bridge in the southern suburb of Beirut, and the fuel stores of the Jiyyeh power plant south of the city early Friday, witnesses and security sources said.

Ynetnews:

Israeli planes struck a bridge in the southern suburb of Beirut, a Hizbullah stronghold, and the fuel stores of the Jiyyeh power plant south of the city early Friday, witnesses and security sources said.

From experience, I would guess that Ynet have plagiarized from Ha’aretz.

27 thoughts on “Liveblogging the War: Friday July 14th”

  1. The Israel-Hezbollah War Part Two

    [This is a developing post; scroll down for more stories] July 14, 2006 News Breaks (blogs and opinion below) 04:31 PDT: IDF official announces that the Israeli army is going to bomb Hezbollah headquarters in South Beirut on Friday afternoon…

  2. Is there any more news about the Zelzal-2 missiles? A comment on our forum stated the report is doubtful as they would have used them by now.

    I’m glad to see S. Harper coming out in support of Israel.

    Court

  3. More on the Israel/Lebanon conflict

    Whew – the situation continues to escalate in the Middle East – here’s a roundup of stories (via Drudge):
    Hezbollah guerrillas fire 60 more rockets at three Israeli towns…
    200,000+ Israelis now staying in bomb shelters…
    Ha…

  4. Liveblogging the War: An Israeli Perspective

    In October 2002 it was reported that Iranian Zelzal-2 short-range ballistic missiles had been delivered to Iranian Revolutionary Guard units in the Beka’a Valley in Lebanon. Israelis sources frequently claim that long-range rockets have been transferre…

  5. WORLD ON FIRE

    Austin Bay on Lebanon. Bryan Preston on North Korea. Dave at IsraellyCool has must-read liveblogging and podcasting. Allah on Israel, Haifa, Iran, and Saudi Arabia. The Counterterrorism Blog on everything….

  6. As a Catholic and strong supporter of the Church, the Vatican, and Pope Benedict XVI, I am saddened by what Cardinal Sodano said but not surprised. There are some, perhaps many, in the Vatican and the Church who are against all war, even the just use of force, which is what Israel is doing: using force justly. Added to all this is Sodano has a history of criticism of Israel and supporting the Christians in the regions run by various Arabs to the extent that he often sounds like he is unreasonably and disproportionately supporting the Arab Islamists, the terrorists in Islam who commit so much of the evil in the region and instigate so much of the fighting.

    It’s a good thing that there is a difference in Vatican statements on faith and morals and then those on political and economic matters. The former are binding and the latter are not, however much they should be considered in forming our own prudential judgments on matters.

    I will just end with stating that I am glad Sodano is leaving his job. Perhaps it wasn’t soon enough, given this statement in such a crucial time. It is said that he was often at odds with then-Cardinal Ratzinger.

    I stand with Israel.

    God speed,

    EagleandElephant.blogspot.com

  7. I woke up this morning to hear a local FOX tv commentator say “Is the Middle East on the brink of war?” Brink? What is “brink-ish” about blowing up the Palestinian Foreign Office buildings, bombing the airport and jets, naval blockades, and targeting buildings with Iran’s terrorist group, Hezbollah’s bombs coming from them? Fox News is running commercials about the ‘crisis in the Mideast,”” violence erupts,” “the brink of war”. What audience market are they trying to reach? Liberal loonies who have seen the light because of World War III reports and who don’t want to watch the other networks?

    What is “brink-ish” about Hezbollah blowing up civilian homes and buildings? What is “brink-ish” about terrorists (although wholly justified) and innocent civilians dying?

    Michael Medved’s show on Thursday was titled “Is Middle-East on the verge of all-out war?”

    News alert to MSM’s including FOX:

    We’ve been at war since 9/11/01. And Israel has been with us all along in this war.

    It’s denial of being in war by the MSM’s that will delay the reality of mentally processing the strong solutions and avenues that the United States needs to take to protect themselves. There is no brink with the war on terrorism. We are in it and the world needs to wake up.

    http://www.haloscan.com/tb/purnergee/115288026895359233

  8. Vatican (again) seems to be taking the wrong side of the war siding with Lebanon’s harboring of Iran’s terrorist Hezbollah and Hamas. This does not reflect well on past historical mistakes of epic proportions as when the Vatican did not voice a loud enough condemnation of Hitler’s genocide of Jews during World War II.

    The Roman Catholic Church should tell the Iran and Syria to stop their attacks on and threats of annihilation of God’s Chosen People and to Lebanon: Stop harboring terrorists!

    The Vatican’s latest position (again) leaves me thinking who is behind the scenes making horribly wrong decisions regarding humanity.

  9. I, like multitudes of Americans, stand with Israel AND with the innocent Lebanese held hostage by the murderous mullahs. I always marvel at criticism of Israel and its “disproportionate” responses and “heavy-handed” tactics. Truth be known, your average Middle Eastern citizen of whatever persuasion would choose a thousand years under Israeli “tyranny” over one day of “benevolent” Iranian rule.

    As always, Israel will do what must be done. I will join many in making sure my leaders know that American must, again, support Israel.

  10. Amazing, this is just amazing… Yesterday I made a comment here about the change in the sentiments towards Israel in Europe. I was just checking a big Danish discussion forum (I’m from Denmark) hosted by DR (the largest TV station here). There was a thread about the conflict and I was browsing through the last ~40 entries and the support for Israel was overwhelming, nearly a 1/10 ratio in favor of Israel, I think.

    This forum is usually pretty left wing and 5 years ago it would have been flooded with sympathy declarations for the Palestianians. Not anymore! This is no coincidence. Expect a change in the European policy (excluding, possibly, France and Sweden) towards Israel in the coming years. 🙂

    And, oh, God bless the brave Israeli soldiers and the Israeli people. Stay strong.

  11. Israel Update

    Israel struck Hezbollah’s Beirut Headquarters. Fox reported that Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah’s leader, was inside the building when it was hit. From Haaretz: An Israel Air Force strike destroyed a main Hezbollah office in Beirut’s southern suburb on Fr…

  12. As an EX-Catholic, just plain Christian, please everyone be aware that the Pope and the Roman Catholic church are not Israel’s friend and never have been–they are the epitome of “Replacement Theology” within Christendom (not to be confused with biblical Christianity) and teach that the Church has REPLACED Israel, that when blessings are promised to Israel in the Old Testament (Tanakh) that they are now for the Church which they consider the new Israel–instead of the plain meaning of the text, literal unless clearly a poem, proverb, etc, Catholics and replacement people have to allegorize most of the Bible (and so can’t read it for themselves) in order to make it fit their replacement theology that Israel really means the Church, it’s pitiful. (The “Eternal City?”–that’d be Rome, and so on.) They make agreements with the Palestinian Authority re: Jerusalem and so much more I could say. As for Bush and the US government leaders, they too are of replacement theology, YES!, Condoleeza Rice is Presbyterian, her dad and granddad were Presbyterian ministers–they think they are Israel now, that’s why it’s people like them (Pres. “Rev.” D. James Kennedy for ex) that are obsessed with 10 Commandments and moral legislation, because they think they are the kingdom and must reign, therefore impose the Mosaic law. Bush is Methodist and also frequents an Episcopalian church, both of which hold to replacement theology. The true Christian friends of Israel (such as most Baptists and independents and others) adamantly reject replacement theology and are dispensationalists. The pope is a mere man and needs to repent of daring to touch the apple of God’s eye for which he will face judgment. … Christian Zionist#2

  13. The best way to go after Iran is to take away their forward base in southern Lebanon. Almondine-Jihad can’t hit Israel from Iranian bases, but when he has the bomb, he can use long range missiles from Hezbollah strongholds. Both A-J and Nasrallah keep talking of a “surprise” and I don’t think it’s the drones. If Saddam had any WMDs, the UN’s dawdling gave him plenty of time to move it to Syria. Chemical Ali’s specialty was nerve agent. Put enough in an Iranian missile that can reach Tel Aviv and you’ve got a disaster. Can Israel take that chance?

  14. I think the priests forget sometimes, not everyone is a priest. Their parishioners actually have families to protect. A priest can sacrifice his own life to the terrorist monsters, in the name of “peace” and feel superior, but regular people don’t have that luxury of sacrificing their family‚Äôs life and limb, surrendering to evil terrorists, in the name of some abstraction called “peace.” We mere mortals need some justice in this world too.

  15. I’m in the United States; it’s hard for me to judge who’s right or wrong or to blame for which things, and I have no idea what should be done to fix it. What I DO know is that many innocent people will suffer before this is settled, and this makes me very sad; I hope that all of you who are in the danger zone, in whichever country, will be safe, that your families will be safe, and that we’ll see a swift end to the current hostilities… an end that doesn’t involve an escalation of violence.

    The American people care about you. We care about your children. Our thoughts and prayers are with all of you.

    Omni

    http://omniverse.blogspot.com/

  16. i know this whole thing is somewhat off-topic, but you’re somewhat in the right direction with what you’ve said. the very essence of roman-ized, western-ized christianity had no other purpose other than alienating the jews. replacing israel, replacing the feasts with pagan holidays, replacing the shabbat (saturday) with sunday. it’s all rooted in antisemitism that not surprisingly remains today.

    israel has every right to defend herself and threats from iran/syria are just masking their true hopes. they would love ANY reason to destroy israel and masking it behind an “attack on islam” is just their most recent vehicle.

  17. Last Monday’s blog arguments on Iraq and Lebanon this Monday!

    “Progressive Realism”: My colleague Robert Wright’s bigthink foreign policy op-ed is currently #4 on the NYT’s most e-mailed list, and gaining on Shamu! Here are some questions I hope to take up with Wright on bloggingheads.tv …

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