Israeli troops pushed deep into south Lebanon to widen its Lebanon assault
early Saturday, hours after the U.N. Security Council adopted a resolution
calling for an end to the Israel-Hezbollah fighting.
An Israeli force reached the village of Ghandouriyeh east of the port city of
Tyre, which is 11 km inside southern Lebanon on Saturday, the deepest thrust yet
in Israel's ground offensive against Hezbollah, media reports quoted security
sources as saying.
An Israeli army spokesman said that according to Wednesday's decision by the
security cabinet, Israel would expand troops to as far as the Litani River,
which runs 30 km from the border.
Meanwhile, Israeli combat jets were also in action across other parts of
Lebanon, pounding northern roads leading to Syria and destroying a power plant
in the major southern city of Sidon.
Security officials said Israeli warplanes fired at least three missiles which
caused a fire and cut off electricity in Sidon,adding several airstrikes also
hit Akkar province, some 97 kmnorth of Beirut, and targets in the southern port
city of Tyre.
The actions came shortly after the Security Council voted on a resolution
calling for an end to the month-long Israel-Hezbollah conflict.
The resolution also authorizes sending 15,000 U.N. peacekeepersto help
coordinate the deployment of Lebanese troops to southern Lebanon and the
withdrawal of Israeli forces.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert accepted on late Friday the UN resolution
and said he would urge the cabinet to approve it during Sunday's meeting.
But Israeli official sources said that Israeli military operations in Lebanon
would continue until Sunday, when its Cabinet would meet to endorse the
resolution.