Israeli terrorism leaves 8 Lebanese dead, electric stations blown
Lebanon-Israel, Politics, 6/25/1999

Israeli war planes on Thursday carried out a series of raids against bridges and the electricity network in Lebanon. The bombardment resulted in killing six Lebanese civilians and wounding 86 others.

Meanwhile Israeli artillery shelled several villages and towns in south Lebanon. The shelling was the fiercest in three years and resulted in heavy damages to the houses of Lebanese civilians and their properties, setting off fires in vast areas and cutting electricity off in huge areas of south Lebanon.

In retaliation the Lebanese resistance attacked several positions for the Israeli occupation forces and their militia allies. The Lebanese resistance also attacked twice the Israeli towns in the Galilee and the attacks, as noted by the Israeli military spokesman, resulted in wounding one soldier and four Israeli citizens and setting off fires in various areas of Kiryat Shemona.

At 10:45 p.m. Thursday, Israeli warplanes raided the al-Jeyah electricity power station to the south of Beirut, against al-Damour and al-Na'emah bridge as well as the areas of al-Khawam and Ras al-Ein near Baalbeck. Earlier in the day, the Israeli warplanes carried out a third raid at 9:40 p.m. on an electricity power station in al-Jamhour district, from which ambulance men were evacuating the wounded as a result of the two previous raids.

Lebanese security sources said that Israeli helicopters also raided the western sector region of south Lebanon and fired three missiles against the residential areas in Majdal Suloum town.

Preliminary news reports said that the "electricity higher grid network" in the town, which feeds tens of neighboring villages, was destroyed. Meanwhile, the Lebanese army organized traffic in al-Jamhour district and prevented civilians from approaching the areas which were the target of the Israeli raids.

Lebanese Minister of Transport Najib Mikati visited the area raided by Israel in al-Jamhour, noting that Lebanon has expected such Israeli aggressive escalation.

Lebanese army units were deployed in Beirut, its suburbs and the Mount Lebanon area, opening anti-aircraft fire against the Israeli planes which raided three times the electricity power station in the hills overlooking Beirut.

This is the first time Israeli war planes have raided an electricity power station since the large-scale Israeli aggression against Lebanon in April 1996. Lebanese security forces said that eight Lebanese civilians were killed, including 4 firemen, and another 84 wounded as a result of the Israeli raids.

The sources noted that most of the killed and wounded are from the Lebanese "civil defence men," who were working to rescue the victims as a result of the first raid launched against the station and to extinguish the fire.

Lebanese President Emile Lahoud held Israel responsible for the results of its air strikes against the electricity station of Beirut. On Thursday night, the Lebanese president stressed that the Israeli raids were a flagrant occupation against Lebanon and constituted a flagrant violation of the April Understanding agreement provisions.

The Lebanese president stressed that Lebanon is committed to its unwavering stances in rejecting any security measures or guarantees for Israel outside the framework of a just and comprehensive peace settlement in the region.

Previous Stories:
  Al-Hoss: No unilateral agreement with Israel; no merger for SLA troops in the army   (6/24/1999)
  Three Lebanese civilians wounded in south Lebanon by Israeli forces   (6/24/1999)
  Two SLA soldiers killed in south Lebanon   (6/23/1999)
  Lebanon minister: 319 Israeli attacks on Lebanon since April   (6/19/1999)

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