Israelis claim shells fired by Hizbullah fell over the border

Israel on July 4 lodged a complaint with the international committee monitoring the cease-fire in the South after mortar shells fired by the resistance impacted just inside the Israeli border.

At dawn on July 3, Hizbullah fired 40 Katyushas and mortars on the Tall Al-Abbas Israeli artillery position. Seven of the mortar shells reportedly fell just across the border.

On July 3 Lebanon filed a complaint with the five-nation panel after a civilian was injured near Nabatiah during a massive Israeli bombardment the day before. The committee, which includes representatives from Lebanon, Syria, France, the US and Israel, is scheduled to meet on July 8.

Elsewhere, on July 4 Hizbullah detonated a roadside bomb as a south Lebanon army patrol passed near Birkit al-Dardara on the Marjayoun Khiam road inside the occupation zone. No casualties were reported from the incident.

The two complaints ended a violent week in the South with five Hizbullah guerrillas and one SLA militia man killed.

Four Palestinian fighters, three SLA men and a Lebanese civilian were hurt. With the exception of two Hizbullah guerrillas who died on July 2 in attacks on a convoy near Beaufort castle, a few kilometers southeast of Nabatieh, the other three fighters were killed on two separate operations by Israeli commandos. In both gunfights, the guerrillas were ambushed by Israeli patrols who had been waiting beside the routes used by the resistance to infiltrate the occupation zone.

According to a security source, this is further evidence that Israel's army chiefs have been given the green light to run special forces operations. "We are now seeing more of a guerrilla war being fought by the Israelis rather than the static war of the last few years," he said.

Israeli commando units dubbed "Egoz" (walnut) are adopting tactics similar to those used by Hizbullah, engaging in ambushes, preemptive strikes, and planting land mines and roadside bombs on the edges, and even outside, of the occupation zone.

It is seen as a concerted bid by Israel's northern command to strike at resistance units before the guerrillas get a chance to engage Israeli positions and patrols operating in the zone.

"The man in charge of Israel's northern front, Maj. Gen. Amiram Levine, has a background in special operations and it seems he has got his way in allowing these activities to occur ," he said.

The source added that the Israeli units train in mock Lebanese villages and in terrain similar to the South to prepare for deployment in the occupied zone.

Although, Israeli commando units have long been operating in the South, the source noted that recently they have been notching up increasing successes.

"These operations will not work if there is no reliable intelligence, which has always been a problem for them ( the Israelis). But now it seems that their intelligence sources, be it human, technical or satellite, have improved," the source said.

Israeli units have also been planting roadside bombs outside the zone. Evidence of this came on May 6 when a bomb exploded near Nabatieh, killing two civilians. The subsequent meeting of the five-nation monitoring committee criticized Israel for the first time since the committee was established last October.

Hebrew markings were found on the explosive device.

Rather than an oversight on behalf of the Israelis, the source argued that it was a deliberate gesture to warn civilians, the government, and the resistance alike that Israel was prepared to strike outside the zone at will.

"Unless the message is clear, there will be no point," he said.