Israel attacked a Syrian position in Lebanon last night, for the first time in five years. Israel Air Force fighter planes attacked a radar installation north of the Beirut-Damascus road at around 1 AM. The Syrian site, located some 20 kilometers east of Beirut, was destroyed by six air-to-ground missiles fired by four IAF planes.
The mission was a retaliatory raid for Hizbullah\'s Saturday missile attack that claimed the life of St.-Sgt. Elad Litvak, who will be buried today. In addition, two other soldiers were killed by Hizbullah fire along the northern border in the past several months, and three soldiers and one Israeli businessman were kidnapped in late 2000 and are still being held captive by Hizbullah. Syrian officials claim that three of their men were killed in last night\'s attack.
The government stated today that Hizbullah had been acting with Syrian approval and help. It further noted that despite the fact that Israel was in total compliance with the UN resolution calling on Israel to withdraw from southern Lebanon, Hizbullah was continuing its acts of aggression against Israel. The statement also said that the Israel holds the governments of Lebanon and Syria responsible for ending the Hizbullah terrorist attacks across the international border.
The mission was a retaliatory raid for Hizbullah\'s Saturday missile attack that claimed the life of St.-Sgt. Elad Litvak, who will be buried today. In addition, two other soldiers were killed by Hizbullah fire along the northern border in the past several months, and three soldiers and one Israeli businessman were kidnapped in late 2000 and are still being held captive by Hizbullah. Syrian officials claim that three of their men were killed in last night\'s attack.
The government stated today that Hizbullah had been acting with Syrian approval and help. It further noted that despite the fact that Israel was in total compliance with the UN resolution calling on Israel to withdraw from southern Lebanon, Hizbullah was continuing its acts of aggression against Israel. The statement also said that the Israel holds the governments of Lebanon and Syria responsible for ending the Hizbullah terrorist attacks across the international border.