The Golani Brigade soldiers were ambushed at approximately 5:00 o’clock Wednesday morning (Tuesday 10:00 pm EDT) by Hizbullah terrorists in the town which is often referred to as the ‘Hizbullah capital’ in south Lebanon.
Infantry divisions, tank and armored corps as well as air support by IAF fighter pilots worked together to try to clean out the nest of terrorists entrenched in Bint Jbeil. Just a day earlier, the IDF had said the town was under Israeli control.
A total of 24 soldiers were wounded in the battle, according to Army Radio. It was the fiercest clash since the beginning of the war two weeks ago due to the number of casualties and the duration of the battle, which continued into the night on Wednesday. Three soldiers were seriously injured in the clashes, six sustained moderate wounds and 15 were lightly injured.
Terrorists also shot at combat medics, preventing them from evacuating the injured for more than six hours. Rescue personnel carried wounded soldiers off the battlefield under heavy fire, bringing them to the four combat helicopters that flew the wounded soldiers to safety as heavy fighting continued on the ground.
One of the soldiers injured in Bint Jbiel Wednesday said, "I want to go back and fight with my comrades. Morale is totally high. [The battle] was complex, and there is fear, but we have to take the fear and turn it around." The soldier spoke on Voice of Israel government radio from Rambam Hospital.
Soldiers fought hand-to-hand in close quarters, with grenades thrown and shooting taking place at point-blank range in small yards and private homes where the terrorists had set up “war rooms” and weapons caches.
Earlier in the week, the IDF had taken control of the town of Maroun a-Ras; however, four paratroopers who stayed to secure the area were hit and wounded by an anti-tank missile Wednesday evening. Soldiers were forced into renewed fighting with terrorists in the area.
As the Golani Brigade and Paratrooper Unit continued the fight to clean out the nest of terrorists in the areas of Bint Jbeil and Maroun a-Ras, Israel Air Force pilots were striking Hizbullah headquarters in the southern port city of Tyre.
IAF air strikes destroyed the seven-story building which housed the office of the Hizbullah commander in south Lebanon, Sheik Habil Kaouk. It was not clear whether the building was occupied at the time. Twelve bystanders were injured in the strike.
Infantry divisions, tank and armored corps as well as air support by IAF fighter pilots worked together to try to clean out the nest of terrorists entrenched in Bint Jbeil. Just a day earlier, the IDF had said the town was under Israeli control.
A total of 24 soldiers were wounded in the battle, according to Army Radio. It was the fiercest clash since the beginning of the war two weeks ago due to the number of casualties and the duration of the battle, which continued into the night on Wednesday. Three soldiers were seriously injured in the clashes, six sustained moderate wounds and 15 were lightly injured.
Terrorists also shot at combat medics, preventing them from evacuating the injured for more than six hours. Rescue personnel carried wounded soldiers off the battlefield under heavy fire, bringing them to the four combat helicopters that flew the wounded soldiers to safety as heavy fighting continued on the ground.
One of the soldiers injured in Bint Jbiel Wednesday said, "I want to go back and fight with my comrades. Morale is totally high. [The battle] was complex, and there is fear, but we have to take the fear and turn it around." The soldier spoke on Voice of Israel government radio from Rambam Hospital.
Soldiers fought hand-to-hand in close quarters, with grenades thrown and shooting taking place at point-blank range in small yards and private homes where the terrorists had set up “war rooms” and weapons caches.
Earlier in the week, the IDF had taken control of the town of Maroun a-Ras; however, four paratroopers who stayed to secure the area were hit and wounded by an anti-tank missile Wednesday evening. Soldiers were forced into renewed fighting with terrorists in the area.
As the Golani Brigade and Paratrooper Unit continued the fight to clean out the nest of terrorists in the areas of Bint Jbeil and Maroun a-Ras, Israel Air Force pilots were striking Hizbullah headquarters in the southern port city of Tyre.
IAF air strikes destroyed the seven-story building which housed the office of the Hizbullah commander in south Lebanon, Sheik Habil Kaouk. It was not clear whether the building was occupied at the time. Twelve bystanders were injured in the strike.