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War in Lebanon, one year ago
11/07/2007 11:43 - (SA)
Beirut - Nearly a year ago, Israel struck Beirut airport and blockaded Lebanese ports after Hezbollah fighters seized two Israeli soldiers in a cross-border attack.
The impact of the 34-day war that erupted between Israel and Shi'ite Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon is still being felt in both countries.
Here are some details of the war which killed about 1 200 people in Lebanon and 158 Israelis:
The build-up:
On July 12, 2006, two Israeli soldiers - Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser - are captured and eight killed in Hezbollah raid into northern Israel. Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah says he wants to swap the pair for Lebanese prisoners held in Israel.
The war:
July 13 - Israeli aircraft bomb runways at Beirut airport. Katyusha rockets kill two Israelis in northern Israel.
July 14 - Israeli warplanes blast main Beirut-Damascus highway, tightening air, sea and land blockade of Lebanon. Jets also destroy apartment blocks housing residence and offices of Nasrallah, who survives the attack on Beirut's southern suburb.
July 16 - Katyusha rocket hits train depot in northern Israeli city of Haifa, killing eight people.
July 26 - International conference in Rome pledges to work for urgent, but not immediate, ceasefire and agrees on need for international peacekeeping force.
July 30 - Israeli planes attack southern village of Qana. Lebanon says initially that more than 50 civilians were killed but later revises toll to 28, about half of them children.
August 2 - Helicopter-borne commandos launch Israel's deepest raid into Lebanon, attacking targets in Hezbollah stronghold of Baalbek in northeast and killing 19 people.
August 6 - Katyusha rocket kills 12 Israeli reservist soldiers near northern Israeli kibbutz.
August 11 - UN Security Council unanimously adopts resolution 1701 calling for end to fighting, but Israel says it will not halt its offensive in Lebanon immediately.
August 12 - UN Secretary General Kofi Annan says Israeli and Lebanese leaders agree to cease fire at 08:00 on August 14.
Lebanon approves UN resolution. Nasrallah says Hezbollah will abide by ceasefire once Israel adheres to it.
August 13 - Israeli troops battle Hezbollah across southern Lebanon and air strikes batter Beirut suburbs before truce.
Israel approves UN resolution.
August 14 - Fighting in south Lebanon stops abruptly at 08:00.
What happened afterwards:
Lebanese troops deploy in south, linking up with UN peacekeepers to take control of Hezbollah strongholds as Israeli forces withdraw. The force grows to 15 000 soldiers south of Litani River, about 20km from Israeli border.
A bigger UN force, known as UNIFIL II, starts deploying in south, with mandate to monitor cessation of hostilities and help Lebanese army keep region clear of other armed groups.
Israel completes withdrawal from Lebanon on October 1, 2006, except for northern part of divided village of Ghajar. Lebanese army and UNIFIL take control of south under ceasefire deal.
Hundreds of thousands of cluster bombs dropped by Israeli planes and fired by artillery in final days of war kill 30 people and maim more than 200 in south in subsequent 12 months.
Israeli chief of staff, Lieutenant-General Dan Halutz, resigns on January 17, 2007, citing Israeli failures in Lebanon war. Interim report on April 30 by Israeli commission finds that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert acted rashly in going to war, but stops short, pending final findings, of recommending he step down.
- Reuters
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