Developments in the South

Two Israelis, at least, were injured during a confrontation with the Resistance army in Ali-Taher and Bear-Kilab in the South, yesterday. Israeli helicopters intervened during the fight to remove the injured.

This battle was followed, in the evening, by an operation against an Israeli armored convoy, executed by the Hadi Nasrallah brigade, beside the Beaufort Castle near Nabatieh. The Israelis admitted to the operation but didn't acknowledge any casualties. Lahd militias' radio admitted that two Israeli soldiers were wounded, one seriously, when an anti-armor rocket destroyed their personnel-carrier.

Previous to these developments, the Israeli Minister of Defense Yizthack Mordechai had announced that the operations of the Resistance in Lebanon might well lead to a deterioration in the region. He also had excluded the possibility of a one-side withdrawal of the Israelis from the South.

Meanwhile, the Surveillance of the April Agreements Committee decided, after a session held yesterday, that Israeli artillery has indeed attacked civilians in Mashghara and demanded that precautions be taken to avoid it in the future.

Meanwhile, Israeli artillery bombarded a number of villages and towns in Al Nabatieh area in South Lebanon. Security sources said heavy Israeli artillery intensively shelled from their positions in Beaufort and Al Zefateh each of Al Hamra farm, Al Nabatieh, Al Foka, Hema Arnon, Kfar Tibnit, east and west Zottar and Kfar Ramman.

Also, Israeli troops fired machine-gun fires at UNIFIL troops. A UN military officer said the incident took place when soldiers from the Finish unit were inspecting the fall of shells in Deir Siryan town in Jezzine area, upon, the demand of olives fields owners. The officer noted that UNIFIL command is investigating the incident.