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Israeli soldiers take positions next to a rocket damaged tank after Hezbollah guerrillas attacked Israeli troops in the Lebanese side of the border with northern Israel Monday. (AP)
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| By Associated Press August 1, 2006 |
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Israeli troops will move deeper into southern Lebanon, up to the Litani River, and hold on to the territory for several weeks, until a multinational force is deployed there, senior Israeli officials and media reports said Tuesday.
The Litani River is about 18 miles north of the Israeli-Lebanese border.
Late Monday, Israel's Security Cabinet decided to expand Israel's ground offensive in south Lebanon.
Israel Radio, Israel Army Radio and a senior Israeli government official said ground forces would reach the Litani River. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to discuss decisions of closed-door government meetings with reporters.
Political commentator Emanuel Rosen outlined the Security Cabinet's decision on Army Radio, saying troops would in some cases even go beyond the Litani. Justice Minister Haim Ramon, speaking on the same program, said Rosen "knows what he is talking about," but refused to refer directly to the Cabinet decisions.
Ephraim Sneh, a senior Labor Party lawmaker, also indirectly confirmed the planned push until the Litani. Asked by Israel Radio how long troops would hold on to that territory, up to the Litani, Sneh said: "We are not talking about days we are talking about longer, but not about months."
Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, a senior Cabinet minister, said Israel wants to establish a Hezbollah-free zone in south Lebanon. "This is the same area where we want a multinational force to be deployed," Ben-Eliezer told Army Radio. He said he expected the ground offensive to take "between 10 days to two weeks."
Another senior government official said Israel's Security Cabinet did not set a territorial limit for the offensive when it approved expanding the ground operation. The official did not deny reports that troops would reach the Litani.
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