Israel bombs Southern Lebanon

1/18/2005 12:10:00 PM GMT

Israeli jets fired two missiles on suspected Hezbollah targets along the border in southern Lebanon on Monday, wounding several civilians, including two women, Lebanese officials said.

Israeli artillery pounded positions in the disputed Chebaa Farms area before a fighter-bomber fired missiles at a hilltop in Alman al-Qusair, that was captured by Israel before its pullout of south Lebanon in 2000, army source said.

The Israeli military said that Monday strikes were a response to an earlier attack by Hezbollah, where an unmanned Israeli D-9 armored bulldozer was hit by anti-tank missiles.

The Israeli military issued a statement saying that its air force "targeted two sites in southern Lebanon belonging to Hezbollah" after the group admitted that it was behind the a bulldozer ttack.

"The Israeli defence forces will continue to act with determination against any attempt to target Israelis and destabilise the region," the statement added.

Two Lebanese women were wounded when Israeli warplanes fired missiles at Qsair, four miles from the Israeli border, Lebanese security officials said on the condition of anonymity.

Hours later, Israeli forces launched another missile strike at Wadi Izziyeh area between the southern port city of Tyre and the border town of Naqoura on the Mediterranean coast. But there were reports of casualties from that strike. Witnesses said they saw clouds of black smoke rising from the stricken area.

Al-Manar television said earlier that Hezbollah forces planted a bomb that destroyed a bulldozer in the Chebaa Farms area, and that there were "definite casualties" among the Israeli forces.

But the Israeli army claimed that the attack resulted in no casualties.

Israel claims that Lebanon and Syria are supporting resistance groups fighting against the Israeli occupation in Palestine.

"There is no doubt that Hezbollah's increased terror activities, on the northern border and in deepening the Palestinian terror system, are aimed at causing the failure of seemingly positive trends in the region," an Israeli source said. “

"Lebanon, which permits terror attempts to take place from its territory, and its patron Syria must root out the terror organizations," the source added.