Hizbullah Injures Four In North - Israel Faces Four Front War
Hizbullah Katusha rocket launcher on the Israel
Lebanon border ready to attack civilians.
By Joel Leyden
Israel News Agency Update 15:30: Israel Prime Minister Olmert calls Lebanon cross-border terror attack "act of war." IDF calling up reserve units for Northern border activity.
"The events this morning are not terror attacks but actions of a sovereign state that attacked Israel for no reason. The Lebanese government, of which Hezbollah is a member, is trying to destabilize regional stability. Lebanon is responsible and it will bear responsibility. "These are difficult days for the state of Israel and its citizens. There are elements in the north and south that threaten our stability and challenge our stamina and determination. They will fail and pay a dear price for their actions." - Israel Prime Minister Ehud Olmert Update 13:30: Israel confirmed that two IDF soldiers were captured by Hezbollah guerrillas during clashes across the Lebanese border on Wednesday, and said it held Lebanon "directly responsible" for their fate and safe return. "The Lebanese government is responsible for the fate of the Israeli soldiers, and must take immediate action to locate them without harming them and return them to Israel," the Israeli Defense Ministry said in a statement. Jerusalem----July 12.....Israel awoke this morning to the news that residents of the northern Israel - Lebanon border town of Shtula had been wounded by a heavy barrage of Hizbullah terror Katyusha and mortar rockets. The rocket which fell on a house in Shtula, sent Magen David Adom ambulances rushing to Nahariya hospital with residents of the north scurrying to air raid shelters. The Israel Defense Forces said that the attack was a Hizbullah response to Israel's early Wednesday attempted strike on top Hamas terrorist Mohammad Deif in Gaza. In addition to the terror rocket attack Hezbollah is claiming that they kidnapped two IDF soldiers on the Northern Israel border. A CNN correspondent in Beirut has confirmed that he has heard celebratory gunfire in the streets of the Lebanon capital. Hezbollah announced the claim on Al-Manar, its television station in Lebanon, after Israel aircraft struck terrorist positions in southern Lebanon in response to rocket attacks on northern Israel communities. The northern border has been on high alert since IDF Operation Summer Rains began. Two weeks ago, IAF planes made low flyovers at Syrian President Bashar Assad's summer palace reportedly while he was in residence. A month and a half ago, Israel launched a massive retaliatory strike after Hizbullah fired a series of Katyushas at Israel. On the Southern front, in a joint IDF and ISA action early this morning, the IDF targeted a structure in the northern Gaza Strip, used as a hideout by several Hamas terrorists. The men, senior members of the Hamas terror organization, are responsible for terror attacks, including the launching of Qassam rockets. Following intelligence information regarding imminent terror attacks planned by these senior terrorists, it was decided to target them and to prevent future attacks. An IDF spokesperson told the Israel News Agency that they will continue to act with determination against terrorist organizations and terror infrastructure in order to create the conditions for the return of IDF Cpl. Gilad Shalit and to stop terror attacks and the launching of rockets from Gaza towards Israel. As Israel tracks down the terrorists in Gaza responsible for firing rockets into civilian towns in Southern Israel, the IDF is carrying out humanitarian operations. Over the past three days, more than 2,000,000 liters of fuel and 496 tons of natural gas were transferred into the Gaza Strip through the Nahal Oz crossing. Israel now faces a four front war. Hezbollah and Lebanon in the North. Syria and Iran. Islamic terror cells in the West Bank and continuing action in Gaza. The Israel Defense Forces remain on high alert throughout the country. IDF reservists expect to be called up within the coming weeks. A war with Hezbollah in Lebanon and fighting in the West Bank would create a high demand for reserve manpower for the IDF, while Iran and Syria would be taken out with surgical Israel Air Force and missile's strike. Operation Summer Rains in Gaza would continue on the same course as IDF tanks continue to pour into the Palestine city. If an all out war does occur on several fronts, the IDF is more than ready to destroy the entire terrorist infrastructure of Lebanon, Syria and Iran. Electricity and water supplies would be cut off, but only in areas where Islam terrorists are operating from. Israel does differentiate between Palestinians and Arabs who desire peace and those who are determined to "wipe Israel off the map." Several analysts in Israel point out that Israel would not be acting alone against Iran, Lebanon and Syria with US military action expected to be coordinated with the IDF. Just days ago Hamas politburo chief Khaled Mashal held a press conference in Damascus broadcast live on al-Jazeera, al-Arabiya, and Syrian state television. The press conference was significant, not only for its content, but because it was held in a Damascus hotel: typically in the past, when Syria-based terrorist organizations took responsibility for operations, they did so from Beirut. The high profile Mashal statement from Damascus suggests that the Asad Syria regime has changed its rules of engagement from tacit to explicit support for Hamas. ISRAEL NEWS AGENCY Sponsored by IsraelPr.com
Michael Byers, who holds the Canada Research Chair in Global Politics and International Law at the University of British Columbia, revealed in Sunday's ''Toronto Star'' that while he was in Tel Aviv in 2004, he met with a lawyer who advises the Israel Defence Force about rules of engagement. Scenarios which were unfolding were discussed. 

The ''Toronto Star'' reported a conversation between Byers and an IDF colonel / lawyer during a luncheon. According to Byers, the colonel felt that attacks on southern Lebanon and civilian targets as well as Lebanese infrastructure would be justified under specific interpretations and in certain circumstances. She asked Byers for his opinion on these matters.

The lawyer Byers met with is a colonel with a Harvard doctorate. He met with her by an invitation that came while he was a visiting professor at the University of Tel Aviv. After just a few minutes, the Harvard graduated colonel got to the point of their meeting: 

"There have been a number of missile attacks along our northern border," she said. "We're going to respond with air strikes against some Hezbollah installations in southern Lebanon next week. What do you think?" 

Byers said he was taken aback as governments rarely consult foreign academics about their military plans. Though it was not clear whether the colonel was engaged in private conversation or asking for the professor's services on behalf of the military.

Byers responded; "Well, for starters, any act of self-defence has to be necessary and proportionate."

Byers advised the colonel, "Also, you must never target civilians or facilities such as water-filtration or electrical plants relied upon by civilians." 

"Ah, here we disagree!" the colonel exclaimed. "Collateral damage is allowed in situations of military necessity. And dual-use facilities are legitimate targets."

"What constitutes military necessity depends on the relative capabilities of the opposing forces," Byers responded, "And the dual-use argument is a slippery slope."

"Perhaps." the Israeli colonel said. 

"There's a second reason you should do everything possible to protect civilians," Byers advised. "Israel has to work particularly hard to maintain the moral high ground. Your reputation has suffered because of your treatment of the Palestinians."

"We're completely justified in our treatment of the Palestinians," the colonel said.

"We can disagree on that," Byers said, "but do me a favour, as someone who wants to sympathize with Israel. If you do launch air strikes, please limit yourself to Hezbollah facilities. Leave civilians — and the Lebanese government — alone."

Two years ago, Byers' IDF advisor suggested considering southern Lebanon a failed state was justification for incursions and air strikes. In contrast, speaking about the current crisis, Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said the recent cross-border attack by Hezbollah was an "act of war" committed by the government of Lebanon and that, "The events this morning are not terror attacks but actions of a sovereign state that attacked Israel for no reason. The Lebanese government, of which Hezbollah is a member, is trying to destabilize regional stability. Lebanon is responsible and it will bear responsibility."

Israel's defense ministry confirmed it held Lebanon "directly responsible" for their fate and safe return of the two soldiers captured by Hezbollah. The Israeli Defense Ministry issued a statement which said; "The Lebanese government is responsible for the fate of the Israeli soldiers, and must take immediate action to locate them without harming them and return them to Israel."