Israeli commandos launched an amphibious raid into the port city of Tyre in Southern Lebanon today. Many of the rockets hitting Israel have come from the area of Tyre.
TYRE, Lebanon – Israeli naval commandos battled with Hezbollah in the southern port city of Tyre early Saturday, while a guerrilla rocket killed a soldier in clashes on the border and Israeli raids left at least eight people dead in multiple strikes across the country.
After days of desultory diplomacy, Washington said it was near agreement with France on a U.N. cease-fire resolution, possibly by early next week. But no cessation of fighting was in sight Saturday.
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In Tyre, Hezbollah said its guerrillas repelled the Israeli commandos and killed a member of the force. Israeli defense officials said eight soldiers were wounded during the fight, in the first confirmation that a naval commando had raided the coastal city. Two of the wounded were in serious condition, they said.
The army said the mission was to take out the launching sites of rockets that have plagued northern Israel for three weeks. It said several Hezbollah fighters were hit.
A Lebanese soldier and a civilian were also killed in the clash, local officials in Tyre said.
Lebanese military officials said the Israeli commandos landed near an orange grove, cut a hole through a barbed wire fence and targeted the second floor of an apartment building.
The commandos were repelled by Hezbollah guerrillas and Lebanese soldiers who clashed with the forces, the Shiite militia said.
A resident said he saw the commando force attack the building. "They all had beards. I thought maybe they were Hezbollah," said 18-year-old Qassem Aad, who lives nearby.
Aad said he saw several people walk out of the building with their hands up, and that shooting then erupted. "I saw a man screaming — he was shot."
Ambulance workers said six people were killed, including two from Hezbollah and one soldier from the Lebanese army who was at a nearby checkpoint and was shot at.
A Lebanese army officer confirmed one Lebanese soldier died and said four people in the targeted apartment were killed.
The Jerusalem Post has more on the raid:
The operation, which was conducted based on military intelligence, targeted terrorists that were responsible for firing long-range rockets at Israel, including those that reached Hadera on Friday.
The commandos entered an apartment building in a crowded residential area in northern Tyre, where they engaged with Hizbullah operatives, including three senior members.
When the elite unit left the apartment, they were fired upon from several directions. IAF aircrafts and drones covered the force and cleared an exit for it. Seven Lebanese were killed in the operation.
Head of Naval intelligence told Army Radio that an aerial assault on the building was avoided since it was not known whether there were civilians in the building. He also mentioned that the ground operation sent a strong message to the fighters, indicating that the IDF can reach deep into Lebanon.
A Hizbullah statement said that Naval commandos tried to land in the orchards of the village of Chabriha, just north of Tyre, at 3:30 a.m. but were repelled by Hizbullah guerrillas and Lebanese soldiers who heavily clashed with the forces.
"One member of the infiltrating force was killed and a large number of others were wounded," the Hezbollah statement said.
No IDF soldiers were killed in Tyre.
Note that Israel risks their own troops to avoid civilian casualties. It would have been infinitely easier to drop a bomb and level the house. Note also the message it sends to Hezbollah: there is no safe place for you where we cannot find and kill you.
UPDATE: Ynet has an extensive report including some video.
