Rasha Zayoun thought the worst of last year’s war between Israel and Hezbollah guerrillas was over when a ceasefire halted 34 days of fierce Israeli bombardment of south Lebanon. She was wrong. A few months ago, Zayoun (16) was sitting at home in the southern village of Maarake picking out thyme leaves from a bag her father had brought, when her finger caught on a ribbon attached to a cluster bomblet.
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/ 25 September 2006
Israeli troops are still occupying 10 areas of south Lebanon from which the last soldiers are due to withdraw by the end of this week — seven days later than first planned — a senior United Nations official said on Monday. They remain in place in 10 zones stretching from Yarin in the eastern sector to Kfarkila in the centre.
The highway south from Beirut to the coastal city of Tyre was a symbol of Lebanon’s love for the open road and proof of revival after the bitter 1975 to 1990 conflict. But that was four weeks ago. Today, Lebanon’s dreams of recovery from years of civil war have been shattered by Israel’s devastating month-old offensive.
Helicopter-borne Israeli commandos landed near the southern Lebanese city of Tyre and clashed with Hezbollah guerrillas on Saturday, Lebanese security sources said. At least five people were killed in the night raid, which occurred as world powers edged slowly toward a deal aimed at ending the 25-day-old war in Lebanon.
Civilians fled battered villages in southern Lebanon on Monday after Israel said it would halt its air strikes but the Jewish state pledged to step up its offensive to root out Hezbollah guerrillas. Israeli planes fired two bombs into Lebanon to support ground troops.
Villagers flying white flags from cars, buses and pickup trucks flooded out of south Lebanon on Monday after United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice won from Israel a brief suspension of devastating air strikes. Rice said she believed a ceasefire to end the 20-day war between Israel and Hezbollah guerrillas could be forged this week, but some fighting went on.