Israeli troops storm south Lebanon towns, fighter Pierre Abu Joudeh missing

Israeli occupation troops on Monday stormed the towns of Bint Jbeil, Houla, Markaba and Ras Thalathin in the occupied part of south Lebanon. News reports from south Lebanon said the Israeli troops forced citizens of these towns to evacuate their houses.

Many citizens were also arrested for questioning. Israeli troops also arrested five officers from the Israeli-backed South Lebanon Army who were trying to escape one report said.

Meanwhile, the Lebanese resistance carried out a surprise attack using automatic weapons and rockets against the targeted Israeli occupation position in Barachit in the central sector of south Lebanon. In a statement, the resistance said one of its groups stormed the position and killed or wounded occupation troops stationed in the position.

Lebanese resistance forces also engaged in fierce clashes with the Israeli troops and their SLA allies in al-Snober woods between the towns of Ein al-Teneh and Ein Jurfa in the Hasbaya district.

News reports from south Lebanon said that a number of Israeli soldiers were hit during the clashes. Further reports said that a confrontation took place on Monday in the occupied strip of the south between the Lebanese resistance and the occupation troops in al-Bayada and Ein Qeneh in Hasbaya.

In a statement the resistance said on Monday that one of its groups fought the Israeli troops, adding that the fighting resulted in several hits on the Israeli troops.

Two members of the resistance went missing. They are Pierre Abu Joudeh and Ghassan Saeed. The rest of the group returned safely. A statement by the resistance said this confrontation was a continuing reaction to Israeli occupation, aggression and attacks on the Lebanese people.