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| Israel has broken its temporary suspension of air-strikes on Lebanon. Warplanes struck suspected guerrilla positions in eastern Lebanon early on Monday, despite a declared conditional 48 hour halt in aerial attacks announced on Sunday. (Photo: CCTV) |
Special report: Israel-Lebanon conflicts [Gallery] [Videos]
BEIJING, August 1 -- Israel has broken its temporary suspension of air-strikes on Lebanon. Warplanes struck suspected guerrilla positions in eastern Lebanon early on Monday, despite a declared conditional 48 hour halt in aerial attacks announced on Sunday.
Israeli artillery continued to pound targets in Lebanon's Khiam valley, bordering Israel, as the military offensive against Lebanon and Hezbollah guerrillas entered its twentieth day on Monday.
Israeli warplanes hit targets in southern Lebanon after Hezbollah militants blasted an Israeli tank, injuring three Israeli soldiers - breaking a brief respite in almost three weeks of fighting.
Israel is being pressured to call a halt to its air-strikes after facing worldwide revulsion in the wake of the Qana massacre on Sunday in which 56 civilians were killed.
However, the Israeli army has made it clear that any cessation won't include any halt in artillery fire, or in limited ground operations
Later in the day, warplanes struck close to the southern village of Taibeh to give air cover to Israeli ground troops battling Hezbollah fighters.
Another air-strike killed a Lebanese soldier in his car outside the southern port city of Tyre.
Israel said it had believed the car was carrying a senior Hezbollah official and acknowledged the mistake.
In another development, the Israeli security cabinet voted early Tuesday to expand a ground operation in south Lebanon.
(Source: CCTV.com)
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