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| By Israel Insider staff and partners August 10, 2006 |
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| AP |
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Fifteen reserve officers and soldiers were killed on Wednesday in four different incidents across south Lebanon. Thirty-four soldiers were injured, seven of them sustaining serious wounds.
A day after the fighting, clashes continued in several locations on Thursday. Israeli ground forces took control of Marjayoun, a key southern Lebanese town, and claimed strategic hilltop positions Thursday in a push to widen its hold on border areas before a possible drive deeper into the country.
The IDF suffered casualties in the fighting. Eight soldiers were lightly wounded in a mortar attack. Another soldier was lightly hurt by anti-tank rocket fire, Haaretz reported.
On Thursday, Israeli warplanes have dropped leaflets over downtown Beirut, threatening a "painful and strong" response to Hezbollah attacks and warning residents of three southern suburbs to evacuate immediately.
"The Israeli Defense Forces intend to expand their operations in Beirut," the single-page leaflet read. It said the move came after statements from "the leader of the gang" -- an apparent reference to Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah, who made a taped television address the night before.
The names of eight of Wednesday's casualties were cleared for publication Thursday:
Captain Lior Shmoukher, 30, of Beit Nehamia
Captain Gilad Stukelman, 26, of Timrat
Sergeant Major Igor Koblik, 26, of Nazareth IIlit
Sergeant Major David Shmidov, 25, of Jerusalem
Sergeant Major Noam Goldman, 27, of Tel Aviv
Staff Sergeant Nir Cohen, 22, of Maccabim-Reut
Staff Sergeant Gilad Sussman, 26, of Eli
Staff Sergeant Benny Sela, 24, of Koranit
At 8 a.m. a reservist was killed by friendly fire near the village of al-Taibeh in the eastern sector. Three hours later, an anti-tank missile was fired at an IDF tank, killing the four crewmen inside. At about noon, a missile fired at a building soldiers were staying in caused the building to collapse, claiming the lives of nine reservists. In the evening, a reservist was killed by a mortar shell.
Throughout the day, helicopters ferried the wounded to hospitals across Israel's north: in Haifa, Safed and Nahariya.
"Friendly fire" tragedy
Nahal Brigade forces entered the eastern sector Tuesday night, along with the 52 Armored Battalion, and moved westward in the direction of the town of Qantara. At the same time, a reserve Paratrooper force was conducting an ambush in the area. As a result of what appears to be a mistaken identification, the Nahal force came to believe that the reserve units were Hizbullah gunmen, and consequently a tank was ordered to fire a missile at their direction, hitting the reservists.
An initial IDF inquiry indicated that the mistake was the result of a failure in coordinating the forces' moves in the sector. However, army officials said that it was still early to draw final conclusions, and that it was possible that fire was also opened at the force from a different direction.
The casualties are members of the 226 Paratrooper Brigade, whose men were hurt in the Katyusha attack on Kfar Giladi on Sunday.
More victims of anti-tank weapons
Four soldiers were killed before noon Wednesday after an antitank missile fired by Hezbollah gunmen hit and destroyed an IDF tank in the village of Aita al-Shaab. The soldiers' families have been notified of their death.
The tank that was struck belonged to the 847 reserve brigade, which has been operating in the sector under the command of the Carmeli reserve brigade. IDF sources reported that immediately after the attack the tank caught fire and soldiers were unable to approach it.
IDF sources assessed that a Kornet-type missile hit the tank, probably from close range. The fire that erupted in the tank led officials to believe that the tanks' fire extinguisher system had failed to function.
Building collapse buries elite reserve unit
Nine elite IDF unit soldiers were killed, seven troops have been seriously injured, and 10 sustained light to moderate wounds after a building they were staying in collapsed as a result of a missile strike in the Lebanese village of Dibel.
Shortly after 1 p.m. Hizbullah gunmen fired several missiles at a structure in which the soldiers were staying. One missile hit the building, causing an arms cache to explode. Several soldiers were hurt as a result. A short while later, the structure partially collapsed, and a few other troops were hurt as well.
The forces on the ground reported of difficulties in rescuing the soldiers that have been buried underneath the rubble. Home Front Command units stationed in northern Israel have also been placed on high alert in case they need to enter Lebanon and assist with the rescue efforts.
Deadly mortar shell in eastern sector
In the evening hours, a reserve soldier was killed by a mortar shell in the village of Kalia near Marjayoun in the eastern sector. Two other troops were moderately injured.
YnetNews contributed to this report.
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