Local sources in southern Lebanon have reported that Israeli air strikes have continued unabated despite public promises made by Israeli officials Sunday night that the strikes would pause for 48 hours. On Monday, Israeli defense minister changed the tone of the Israeli plan, saying they will not halt, but will expand their attack on southern Lebanon – despite a bombing that killed 60 civilians and sparked international outrage just the day before.
A Lebanese soldier was killed, and three were injured in an Israeli naval attack on a Lebanese military base north of the city of Tyre in southern Lebanon.
Al-Awayda area, Kafr Shuba’ and Kafr Hamam were all hit Monday morning by heavy Israeli shelling, local sources reported.
Meanwhile, the Israeli military reported that their airforce had dropped bombs on the town of Taibe, along with invading the area using ground forces.
Three Israeli soldiers were also wounded when Hezbollah fighters attacked two tanks with missiles near the Lebanese border town of Kila, the Israeli army said.
At least two rockets fired by Hezbollah fighters also hit an area near the northern Israeli town of Kiryat Shmona, Israeli media reported. Israeli police initially denied the rockets, in adherence with an order issued by the Israeli Military Censor’s office that media not be allowed to report successful strikes by Hezbollah into Israel. Some have called this tactic by Israel a type of "psychological warfare", by censoring much of the information relayed to the media about the war in Lebanon – particularly regarding successful strikes by Hezbollah into Israel.
In a speech to the Israeli parliament Monday morning, Defense Minister Amir Peretz said that Israel must not agree to an immediate ceasefire in the 20-day long conflict, despite calls for a ceasefire by countries around the world, as well as by the United Nations.
An Israeli official told Ma’an News Agency that cars and trucks, warehouses and Hezbollah fighters would continue to be targeted during the 48-hour cessation period. The unidentified official said, "If we identify a Hezbollah storage warehouse belonging we will bomb it", He added, "The Israeli army will not bomb suspicious buildings if the targets are not clear."
However, it remains unclear as to why the Lebanese military, who have thus far abstained from the conflict, were targeted in this morning’s attacks.
An Israeli monitor told Ma’an reporters that the Israeli Army "had twenty days but did not accomplish its aims. Nor was its intelligence able to achieve anything."
