The IDF has stated that two soldiers stationed near the Lebanese border were kidnapped by Hizbullah terrorists. Air Force planes are bombing bridges and roads in southern Lebanon, apparently in an effort to prevent terrorists from fleeing the area with the soldiers. Israeli Air Force planes flew over Beirut but did not attack targets.
Hizbullah terrorist leaders have said they will release the soldiers along with Gilad Shalit, abducted last month by Arab terrorists operating from the Gaza area, in return for all Arab terrorists jailed in Israel.
--Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told reporters that Lebanon will pay for the Hizbullah attack on Israel and the kidnapping of two soldiers. "Lebanon is responsible and Lebanon will suffer the consequences," the Prime Minister said.
--Ground forces have entered Lebanon, the first time since the IDF hastily withdrew in 2000, when then-Prime Minister Ehud Barak claimed that the change in strategy would frustrate Hizbullah attacks by forcing them to cross into Israeli territory.
--Four IDF soldiers died when their tank ran over a bomb planted by Hizbullah terrorists at the northern Israeli border Wednesday morning. The explosion scattered debris and other material from the tank. IDF forces are searching for the remains of their comrades. Three more soldiers were killed at the same time while patrolling the border in a Hummer jeep. Two soldiers from the same jeep were captured by enemy forces.
--Former Defense Minister Moshe Arens said Wednesday afternoon that the attack on Israel’s northern communities and IDF soldiers by terror group Hizbullah was expected. "There was a Katyusha attack last month," he said in an interview on Army Radio. "We needed to send Lebanon a message that such attacks would not be tolerated. We didn’t do that."
--Five women have filed complaints of sexual harassment against President Moshe Katzav, who revealed several days ago that a former worker tried to blackmail him. Police still are investigating the denials by the President and the claims of the former employee, who said he verbally harassed her.