Warfare intensifies in southern Lebanon

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060805/ap_on_re_mi_ea/lebanon_israel_798

BEIRUT, Lebanon - Israel and Hezbollah sharply intensified fighting with a blitz of airstrikes, dozens of rocket attacks and brutal ground combat on Saturday, each apparently trying to inflict as much damage as possible to strengthen their bargaining positions.

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Israeli commandos battled Hezbollah guerrillas in a raid on an apartment building in the southern port city of Tyre, while warplanes blasted south Beirut. The fighting across Lebanon killed at least eight Lebanese and an Israeli soldier, while a Hezbollah rocket volley killed three women in northern Israel.

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The raid in Tyre was the latest Israeli commando operation deep inside Lebanese territory aimed at taking out Hezbollah strongpoints even as heavy fighting raged closer to the border, where Israel is trying to push back guerrillas.

Both Israel and Hezbollah claimed victory, with Israel saying it took out a key guerrilla unit involved in firing long-range rockets into its territory — including one Friday that hit the town of Hadera some 50 miles south of the border in the deepest Hezbollah strike yet.

The commandos landed from the sea and progressed through an orchard before dawn, cutting through a barbed wire fence to advance on the apartment building where a fierce gunbattle broke out with those inside.

Israel is fighting determined locals, not a real military.

...but definitely a well organized, disciplined, and committed force. This is proving much more difficult than Israel expected, I think. Hiz'bollah's militia is much more than loosely organized "determined locals." The main thing they lack is access to an effective array of weaponry, especially SAMs (and armour, of course).

would have finished the job by now.

that's the reality that israel is waking up to.

the arabs leaned -- leaned how to build a real fighting force -- and they will continue to learn with each conflict.

what the lebanese don't have -- is control of the air and the massive fire power the u.s. provides.