Special report: Israel-Lebanon Conflicts [Video] [Gallery]
BEIJING, August 8 -- As violence between Israel and Hezbollah entered its twenty-seventh day on Monday. The Israeli Prime Minister says that Israel isn't just fighting Hezbollah, but also with Syria and Iran.
Israel has also threatened to expand ground operations against Hezbollah if diplomatic efforts to end the war remained stalled. This is apparently to put pressure on Beirut to accept a draft UN resolution aimed at ending the fighting.
The Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, met top defense officials to discuss broadening air and ground strikes.
Political sources say that during the meeting, the Israeli Defense Minister, Amir Peretz, urged a further advance to the Litani River ,twenty kilometers inside southern Lebanon.
Troops there have already taken a six to seven kilometer deep zone.
Peretz believes that an advance to the Litani River would destroy all Hezbollah short-range rocket launching sites and bunkers.
Israeli bombs have already pounded Lebanon's roads, bridges, ports, airports, and other installations.
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| As violence between Israel and Hezbollah entered its twenty-seventh day on Monday. The Israeli Prime Minister says that Israel isn't just fighting Hezbollah, but also with Syria and Iran. (Photo: CCTV) |
Israel pushed on with its vigorous offensive -blowing up more Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon on Monday.
An Israeli strike also hit a crowded area southern suburb of Beirut - destroying a residential building, killing at least five people, and wounding 24 others.
In all, a total of fourteen civilians were killed across Lebanon in Israeli air strikes, as Hezbollah battled back with their rockets.
Rockets rained down on the northern Israeli city of Haifa, killing three people and wounding up to a121
A barrage of Hezbollah rockets also made a direct hit into water treatment center in the Northern Israeli town of Safed.
(Source: CCTV.com)
