The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) continued to expand its operation in the
southern Lebanon on Thursday, with thousands IDF soldiers in Lebanese territory,
local newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported.
The report said that thousands of Israeli soldiers are operating in around 20
Lebanese villages within six kilometers of the border.
Troops have been ordered to "clean-up" buildings of Hezbollah and weapon
stashes. In some villages clashes erupted with Hezbollah militants but no
soldiers were injured.In some villages there are fightings, in Aita al-Shaab for
example where clashes broke out with Hezbollah guerrillas but no injuries were
reported.
On Wednesday, an IDF soldier was killed in the village of Aitaal-Shaab and
seven others were injured.
The Israeli army has been ordered to intensify its operations under the
calculation that international pressure on Israel to halt offensive in Lebanon
will rise ahead of a meeting of the United Nations Security Council to discuss
the crisis. According to Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, more than 900
Lebanese civilians have been killed and over 3,000 injured since fighting broke
out on July 12.
