Special Report: Israel-Lebanon conflicts

    CAIRO/BEIRUT, July 29 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon's Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah vowed on Saturday to fire rockets onto cities incentral Israel and claimed Israel suffered a serious defeat inground fighting in southern Lebanon.

    Speaking on Hezbollah's al-Manar television, Nasrallah said, "The enemy (Israel) has not been successful in reaching any military achievement in this war, apart from destruction of infrastructure and the killing of innocent people.

    "Israel "has not made a single military accomplishment" in its 18-day-old offensive on Lebanon, he added.

    "The bombardment of Afula and its military base is thebeginning... Many cities in the center (of Israel) will be targeted in the 'beyond Haifa' phase if the savage aggression continues against our country, people and villages," Nasrallah said.

    On Friday, Hezbollah guerillas fired at least one new-typerocket at Israel's Afula area, about 50 km from the Israel-Lebanon border.

    It was the deepest area inside Israel that Hezbollah rockets managed to reach since the start of violence on July 12. Nasrallah vowed on Tuesday to start a new phase of "beyond Haifa" in the rocket attacks against Israel.

    Haifa, the thirdlargest Israeli city, is about 35 km from the border.

    In addition, Nasrallah slammed the ongoing Israel assault inLebanon as a joint Israeli-U.S. aggression.

    He also accused Washington of blocking efforts to put an end tothe conflict.

    "The Israelis are ready to stop the aggression and those who insist on perusing this fight are the Americans," he said, while stressing the importance of a strong and united Lebanese government and unifying political ranks in face of the difficulties.

    Nasrallah also said, "There should be no fear of a Hezbollah triumph but rather a fear of its loss", recalling Hezbollah's efforts in helping end the Israeli occupation of south Lebanon in 2000.

    He went on to warn all the Arab countries against "what might aid the enemy."

    Moreover, he said that U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's return to the Mideast region was aimed to impose U.S. conditions on Lebanon again to serve the new Middle East plan and serve Israel.

    Nasrallah's speech came when Hezbollah fired 40 rockets oncities and communities across northern Israel on Saturday, the 18th day since Israel launched the massive onslaught following thecapture of two Israeli soldiers by Hezbollah guerillas on July 12.

    Meanwhile, the Israeli army said that its troops had left Bint Jbeil, a Hezbollah stronghold in south Lebanon, on Saturday morning after fierce battles for the past few days.

    But the army said it might return to the border town if need be. Israeli soldiers found in Bint Jbeil dozens of guns and rifles,stocks of ammunition, grenades, mines and five anti-tank missiles,the army said.

    Lebanon said that about 600 Lebanese civilians had been killed in the violence.

    Over 50 Israelis have also been killed in the fights. Enditem