Iran-backed Hezbollah Kidnaps Israeli Soldiers, Fires Rockets into Israel

Editor: Alan Gray, NewsBlaze

As Tehran Steps up Threats Against Israel, its Terrorist Agents Commit "Act of War"

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. speaking on Iran News network TV last week, gave advance notice of an "intense fury" to be applied to Israel, showing, once again, Iran's involvement in the attacks on Israel.

Two Israel Defense Force (IDF) soldiers were kidnapped and seven others were killed Wednesday in attacks on Israel's northern border by Hezbollah, a terrorist group with close ties to Iran. [1] Hezbollah's Al Manar TV station reported that the abduction occurred just after 9 a.m. and the soldiers were transferred to a safe location. [2]

Just two days before the Hezbollah attacks, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said, while speaking about Israel on Iran News Network TV, "It will not be long before this intense fury will lead to a huge explosion." [3]

Ahmadinejad has also said Israel should be "wiped off the map" and that the Holocaust was a myth.

The two soldiers were patrolling Israel's northern border Wednesday morning in armored jeeps when Hezbollah terrorists fired on the vehicles and detonated explosives nearby. [4] Three other soldiers riding in the jeeps were killed in the attack. [5] A senior Hezbollah official said that at least one of the kidnapped soldiers is still alive. [6]

Hezbollah carried out the assault while conducting massive rocket and mortar shell attacks on IDF positions and Israeli villages. The other four Israeli soldiers who died were killed when their tank drove over a land mine. In the Israeli border town of Shtula, six people were wounded when a rocket hit a house, according to Magen David Adom, Israel's first-aid and disaster relief organization. [7] Israeli officials ordered residents of Israeli towns on the Lebanese border to take cover in underground bomb shelters. Additionaly, thousands of reservists are expected to be called to duty. [8]

During a press conference Wednesday with his Japanese counterpart, Junichiro Koizumi, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert declared Hezbollah's attack "an act of war" by Lebanon and said the Israeli response will be "restrained but painful." [9] For full remarks, please see press conference remarks.

"This is not a terrorist attack, but an unprovoked cross-border attack by a sovereign nation against the sovereign territory of its neighbor," Olmert said. "The government of Lebanon, to which the Hizbullah is a party, is trying to undermine regional stability, and shall bear the consequences for its actions. Israel and its citizens now stand in an hour of trial. We have withstood such tests in the past, and will again know how to overcome and prevail against those who wish us harm."

Said Defense Minister Amir Peretz, "The Lebanese government, that allows Hizbullah to operate in its sovereign territory, will be held responsible for the results and the outcome. The State of Israel sees itself as free to take all the steps it believes are appropriate."

Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Dan Gillerman, when asked if Israel would invade Lebanon, said the country would "react in every way it deems necessary" to free the captive soldiers and protect Israel. [10]

In a complaint to the United Nations Security Council, Israel said Lebanon should be held responsible for the attacks. But, said Gillerman, "one cannot disregard the bloodstained fingerprints and the twisted minds of Iran and Syria, who are the main perpetrators, harborers, financiers and initiators of terror in this world. This axis of terror must be stopped," said Gillerman, adding, that Iran, Syria and Hezbollah are threats to "the whole region and the world." [11]

IDF troops were sent into Lebanon to search for the two kidnapped soldiers under continued heavy shelling. Israel Air Force (IAF) jets, helicopters and self-piloted aircraft flew over Lebanon and Israeli Navy gunboats and artillery shelled Hezbollah targets in Lebanon. By evening, Israeli forces had destroyed 17 targets, Hezbollah outposts and three bridges. [12]

The Hezbollah attacks came 17 days after three other terrorist groups abducted Israeli Cpl. Gilad Shalit as he patrolled the Kerem Shalom crossing on the Israeli side of the southern Gaza Strip border. The eight terrorists involved in the attack are affiliated with Hamas' Izzedeen al-Qassam Brigades, the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) and a new terrorist organization calling itself the Army of Islam.

The terrorists also killed two Israeli soldiers and wounded four others in that attack. Israel entered Gaza three days later in an attempt to rescue Shalit and stop the almost constant barrage of rocket fire into Israel that began almost immediately after Israel voluntarily evacuated all of its military and 9,000 residents from the area in August 2005. Israel turned the area over to the Palestinians in hopes that it would lead to the creation of an eventual Palestinian state.

According to Israel's Channel 10, Hezbollah offered to exchange the two soldiers and Shalit for thousands of prisoners. [13] The terrorist group specifically demanded the release of Lebanese militant Samir Kuntar, who was jailed in 1979 for killing three family members and a police officer. [14] Hamas' spokesman in Lebanon, Osama Hamdan, said the kidnapping of the two soldiers Wednesday would strengthen Hamas' position as a whole. It was unclear whether Hamas was informed of the attack. [15]

Throughout Wednesday, fighting in Gaza continued, with two rockets fired into Israel. [16]

Hezbollah's attack is believed to be connected to the IDF's attempted strike earlier Wednesday on top Hamas terrorist Mohammad Deif in Gaza. Deif, 36, who was moderately wounded, has been on Israel's most wanted terrorist list for his direct involvement in several terrorist attacks, including suicide bus bombings in 1995 and 1996. [17] In a recent interview with Al Jazeera, Deif said, "All the land conquered in 1948 is Palestine's land. Every Muslim in the world has the right and duty to fight in order to liberate this land because it is Muslim land." [18]

Iran's Close Ties to Hezbollah

Iran has long been believed to fund Hezbollah, giving at least $100 million annually. Recently, Western diplomats and analysts in Lebanon estimated Hezbollah receives closer to $200 million a year from Iran. [19]

Hezbollah not only threatens Israel, but the Middle East peace process by financing attacks by other terrorist groups. Limitless Iranian and Syrian financial and military aid has endorsed Hezbollah to strengthen Palestinian militant groups in the West Bank and Gaza. In 2004 alone, Hezbollah subsidized nearly 70 percent of Palestinian terrorist attacks and offered Fatah and Hamas militants as much as $100,000 to deliver suicide bombers into Israel. [20]

Iran, Hezbollah's main beneficiary of weapons, has provided the terrorist group its Fajr-7 rockets that have a 40-mile range - well into Israeli territory - as well as thousands of Katyusha rockets. [21] The Israel Defense Forces have estimated that in 2004 Hezbollah had stockpiled nearly 13,000 Katyusha missiles and rockets. [22]

Hezbollah maintains organizational structures within the West Bank and Gaza in order to provide military training and financial backing to Palestinian factions and to ensure the continuation of armed struggle against Israel. [23]

Israel's security establishment recently reported that Hezbollah is plotting to increase attacks against Israel's northern border in order to divert attention from Syria, where the U.N. is carrying out an investigation into the 2005 death of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. [24]

In the past, Hezbollah has launched attacks against Israel at times of heavy fighting between the Israelis and the Palestinians. The assault Wednesday occurred when the region was already roiling with the Israeli-Palestinian crisis in Gaza. [25]

Hezbollah: Background and Attacks

Hezbollah, or Party of God was established in 1982 as Iran increased its presence in Lebanon and following Israel's "Peace for Galilee" operation in Lebanon. Hezbollah's membership adheres to a 'Khomeinistic' ideology and is led by Shi'ite religious fundamentalists who wish to adopt an Iranian-like regime in Lebanon. [26]

From 1983 to 1985 Hezbollah launched a series of suicide bombings against western targets, including the U.S. Embassy and a U.S. Marine base in Beirut and carried out kidnappings and detentions of U.S. and Western hostages in Lebanon. [27] Hezbollah is responsible for the second-largest terrorist attack against Americans. The attack, which took place in Oct. 1983, involved a truck bomb that killed 241 American Marines in Beirut. [28] The following year, Hezbollah conducted another terrorist attack in Lebanon that claimed 17 American lives. [29]

The group also was responsible for attacking Israeli and Jewish targets in Argentina: In 1992, the terrorist organization detonated a car bomb in front of the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires, killing 28 and wounding more than 250 others. [30] In 1994, an explosion ripped into the Argentine Jewish Community Center in Buenos Aires, killing 85 people and wounding another 240. [31]

In 1991, Hezbollah carried out 52 attacks; in 1992, Hezbollah launched 63 attacks; and in 1993, 158 attacks, firing hundreds of Katyusha rockets into Israel's security zone and Israeli territory. In 1994, Hezbollah launched 187 attacks against Israeli troops and positions, while in 1995, Hezbollah carried out 344 attacks. [32]

Since 1984, Iran has been designated by the U.S. as a state sponsor of terror and is named in five of the 12 international conventions and protocols relating to terrorism. [33]

At a March 9 roundtable in Washington, D.C. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice stated that Iran is "A kind of central banker for terrorism in important regions, like Lebanon, through Hizbullah in the Middle East, in the Palestinian Territories, and we have deep concern about what Iran is doing in the south of Iraq." [34]

On Oct. 7, 2000, three IDF soldiers were kidnapped and later killed by Hezbollah. Nine days later, Hezbollah kidnapped an Israeli citizen, Elhanan Tannenbaum, while he was on a private business trip in Europe. [35] On Jan. 29, 2004, the bodies of the three soldiers and Mr. Tannenbaum were returned to Israel in exchange for the release of more than 400 prisoners. [36]

Hezbollah chief Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah said on Nov. 26, 2005, "Our experience with the Israelis shows that if you want to regain detainees of prisoners... you have to capture Israeli soldiers." [37]

On Nov. 7, 2005, Hezbollah raided the village of Ghajar in an effort to seize Israeli solders who could be traded for prisoners in Israeli jails. In the assault, 11 Israelis were wounded and four Hezbollah guerrillas were killed. Lebanon retrieved one body, and Israel returned the other three. In response, the UN Security Council expressed deep concern over this act of hate and asked the Lebanese government to prevent Hezbollah from operating in southern Lebanon. [38]

In May 2003, the Israeli Navy intercepted a boat from Lebanon to Gaza that was carrying rocket fuses, bomb-making components and CDs with instructions for carrying out suicide bomb attacks to inflict maximum casualties. On the boat was Hezbollah explosives expert Hamad Abu Amra. [39]

For a timeline with information about attacks on the Israel-Lebanon border since Aug. 2003, visit the Israeli-Lebanese border events timeline.

Israel's Response

An official communiqué from the IDF spokesperson's office stated that, "The government of Lebanon bears full responsibility for the attack" and "bears full responsibility to see that the soldiers are returned unharmed. Additionally, "The IDF is preparing for a broad and comprehensive action that will change the 'rules of the game' that have existed on the border between Israel and Lebanon." [40]

Additionally, Israeli security said it is maintaining close contact with officials in all Israeli communities along the northern border. The IDF Home Command said it is preparing to meet the needs of Israel northern and center communities if the situation escalates. [41]

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Footnotes

[1] Katz, Yaakov and Keinon, Herb, "IDF ground troops searching for the two inside Lebanon," The Jerusalem Post, July 12, 2006, http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1150885976658&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

[2] Harel, Amos; Jhoury, Jack; and Stern, Yoav, "Hezbollah kidnaps 2 IDF soldiers during clashes on Israel-Lebanon border", Haaretz, July 12, 2006, http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/737634.html

[3] "Ahmadinejad calling on Islamic countries to mobilize against Israel," Agence France-Presse in Iran Press News, July 8, 2006, http://www.iranpressnews.com/english/source/014483.html

[4] Ibid.

[5] Katz, Yaakov and Keinon, Herb, "PM Olmert declared Hizbullah attack 'act of war' by Lebanon," The Jerusalem Post, July 12, 2006, http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?apage=2&cid=1150885976658&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

[6] Ibid.

[7] Katz, Yaakov and Keinon, Herb, and JPost staff, "IDF forces continue efforts to reclaim bodies of 4 soldiers," The Jerusalem Post, July 12, 2006, http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1150885976658&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

[8] Panossian, Joseph, "Israelis Search for Soldiers in Lebanon," Associated Press Online, July 12, 2006

[9] Katz, Yaakov and Keinon, Herb, "PM Olmert declares the Hezbollah's attack "an act of war" by Lebanon," The Jerusalem Post, July 12, 2006, http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?apage=1&cid=1150885976658&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

[10] Alon, Gideon; Benn, Aluf; Harel, Amos, Stern, Yoav, Haaretz Services, "Israel to UN: Lebanon is responsible for Hezbollah," The Jerusalem Post, July 12, 2006, http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/objects/pages/PrintArticleEn.jhtml?itemNo=737687

[11] Ibid.

[12] Katz, Yaakov and Keinon, Herb, "PM Olmert declared Hizbullah attack 'act of war' by Lebanon," The Jerusalem Post, July 12, 2006, http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?apage=2&cid=1150885976658&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

[13] Ibid.

[14] Harel, Amos, Issacharoff, Avi; Khoury, Jack; Stern, Yoav, "3 soldiers killed, 2 seized in Hezbollah border strike," Haaretz, July 12, 2006, http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/737634.html

[15] Alon, Gideon; Benn, Aluf; Harel, Amos; Stern, Yoav, "PM Olmer calls Hezbollah border attack an 'act of war,'" Haaretz, July 12, 2006, http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/737687.html

[16] "Kassams fired toward western Negev," The Jerusalem Post, July 12, 2006, http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1150885980119&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

[17] Harel, Amos and Issacharoff, Avi, "9 killed in IAF strike on Gaza City house; IDF moves into central Gaza", Haaretz, July 12, 2006, http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/737324.html

[18] Nahmias, Roee, "Muhammad Deif presents: Hamas' military academy," Ynetnews, July 3, 2006, http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3270338,00.html

[19] Levitt, Matthew A., "Iranian State Sponsorship of Terror: Threatening U.S. Security, Global Stability, and Regional Peace," The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, Feb. 16, 2005, www.washingtoninstitute.org/html/pdf/Iran-Testimony-2-16-05.pdf, p. 3

[20] Karmon, Ely, "The double game of Hizballah," The Institute for Counter-Terrorism, April 1, 2005, http://www.ict.org.il/articles/articledet.cfm?articleid=531

[21] Luft, Gal, "Deterioration along the Israel-Lebanon border," PeaceWatch No. 365, Feb. 12, 2002, http://www.washingtoninstitute.org

[22] Sobelman, Daniel, "Four years after the withdrawal from Lebanon: Refining the rules of the game," JCSS Strategic Assessment, Vol.7, No.2, Aug. 2004, http://www.tau.ac.il/jcss/sa/v7n2p5Sob.html

[23] Brom, Shlomo, "Israel-Syria negotiations: A real possibility?" JCSS Strategic Assessment, Vol.7, No.1, May 2004, http:///www.tau.ac.l/jcss/sa/v7n1p2Bro.html

[24] Alon, Gideon; Benn, Aluf; Harel, Amos, "Hezbollah said planning widespread attacks along northern border," Haaretz, Nov. 20, 2005, http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/647682.html

[25] Myre, Greg; Erlanger, Steven, "Two Israeli Soldiers Seized at Lebanon Border," The New York Times July 12, 2006

[26] "Hizballah: (Party of God)", Institute for Counter Terrorism Web site, http://www.ict.org.il/organizations/org_frame.cfm?orgid=15, accessed July 12, 2006

[27] "Hizballah", GlobalSecurity.org, accessed July 12, 2006, http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/para/hizballah.htm

[28] "Hezbollah," Terrorist Knowledge Base, accessed July 12, 2006, http://www.tkb.org/Group.jsp?groupID=3101

[29] Ibid.

[30] "Hezbollah attacked Diplomatic Target (Mar. 17, 1992, Argentina)," Terrorism Knowledge Base, accessed July 12, 2006, http://www.tkb.org/Incident.jsp?incID=6769

[31] "The Bombing of the Jewish Community Center in Argentina (1994) -an Example of the Modus Operandi of Hezbollah's Overseas Terrorist Apparatus," Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center, accessed July 12, 2006, http://www.intelligence.org.il/eng/bu/hizbullah/pb/app5.htm

[32] "Hizballah: (Party of God)", Institute for Counter Terrorism Web site, accessed July 12, 2006 http://www.ict.org.il/organizations/org_frame.cfm?orgid=15

[33] Office of the Coordinator for Counterterrorism, "Overview of state-sponsored terrorism," U.S. Department of State, April 29, 2004, http://www.state.gov/s/ct/rls/pgtrpt/2003/31644.htm

[34] Samii, Bill, "Iran: Intifada conference in Tehran has multiple objectives," Radio Free Europe/Radio Free Liberty, April 14, 2006, http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2006/04/a6170638-c079-4af1-b441-75dbba236340.html

[35] "Israelis Held by the Hizbullah," Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs Web site, February 4, 2001, accessed July 12, 2006,
http://www.israel-mfa.gov.il/MFA/MFAArchive/2000_2009/2001/2/Israelis%20Held%20by%20the%20Hizbullah%20-%20Oct%202000-Jan%202004

[36] "Hizballah gives details of prisoner swap,"
AlJazeera.net , January 25, 2004,
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/D13E2AF4-ABD1-46F2-94A7-7AA539AE7321.htm

[37] Ashkenazi, Eli and Harel, Amos, "Hezbollah says has right and duty to abduct Israeli troops," Haaretz, November 26, 2005, http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/objects/pages/PrintArticleEn.jhtml?itemNo=650068

[38] Ashkenazi, Eli and Harel, Amos, "Hezbollah says has right and duty to abduct Israeli troops," Haaretz, November 26, 2005, http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/objects/pages/PrintArticleEn.jhtml?itemNo=650068

[39] "Israel intercepts Hizballah shipment to Palestinians," The Institute for Counter-Terrorism, May 24, 2003, http://www.ict.org.il/spotlight/det.cfm?id=900

[40] Israel Defense Forces Press Release, July 12, 2006

[41] Ibid.

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Source: The Israel Project

alan@newsblaze.com

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