“Galei Zahal” (IDF Radio) reports that Government sources in Beirut have threatened to halt the deployment of the Lebanese Army south of the Litani River if the UN does not hold a debate on the special operation by IDF’s General Staff Reconnaissance Unit 269. Lebanese Defense Minister Elias al-Murr said that if the UN failed to give "clear answers" in response to the raid he “might be forced to ask the cabinet early next week to halt the army deployment in the south.”
Last night UN Secretary General Kofi Annan issued a statement in which he condemned the IDF action in the Baalbeck area, calling it a violation of the ceasefire. “I am most concerned by the IDF action,” he said. “This is a violation of the cessation of hostilities, as agreed in Resolution 1701.”
Diplomatic sources in Jerusalem made it clear today that Israel would continue to operate deep in Lebanon if the Lebanese government did not prevent weapons supplies by Syria and Iran to Hizbullah. A senior source at the Prime Minister’s Office also dismissed Lebanese claims that Israel had violated the ceasefire. “This was a defensive action since under the ceasefire agreement, the government of Lebanon was supposed to prevent the transfer of weapons and armaments from Syria and Iran to Hizbullah. As it has not done this, the IDF has had to do the job instead,” said the source.”
During the clash one IDF officer, Lieutenant Colonel Emanuel Moreno, 35, of Moshav Talmim was killed and two other officers were wounded, one of them seriously. Two soldiers were also wounded, one of them seriously.
The IDF spokesperson confirmed the operation in the Baalbeck area and said it was designed to disrupt and prevent the arms traffic from Iran and Syria to Hizbullah.
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes.co.il - on August 20, 2006
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