Israel called in a sixth ground force brigade early Wednesday as the army prepares for a major ground invasion, the Guardian reported. According to army sources, the 15 000 reserve troops called into Southern Lebanon last week would be ready for the offensive today.
Despite Israel’s self-declared ’48 hour pause’ of air strikes made on Monday, the military continued with air raids. Warplanes hit a Lebanese army base, in the village of Sabra, as well as two bridges and a road in the province of Akkar, while missiles struck the southern town of Nabatiyeh, Haaretz reported.
According to the Lebanese Daily Star, Israel also launched an air attack on the town of Baalbek early Wednesday, where 11 civilians were killed, 10 Lebanese and one Syrian. A hospital was also raided near Baalbek, where Israeli soldiers were confronted with heavy resistance from Hezbollah.
In Sidon, three Lebanese army soldiers were killed, making the number of army soldiers killed since the start of Israel’s offensive, 24.
