Hezbollah stronghold raided

2006-08-19 08:34

Beirut - Lebanese security and Hezbollah sources said Israeli aircraft and commandos raided a Hezbollah stronghold in eastern Lebanon early on Saturday, just hours after the UN appealed to European countries for peacekeepers.

The Lebanese security source said warplanes and helicopters attacked unidentified targets during an air drop of commandos at dawn around the village of Bodai, west of the ancient city of Baalbek in the Bekaa Valley.

An Israeli army spokesperson said the army was checking the report. Repeated calls have not elicited a further response.

Such an assault would be the first major attack since a UN truce ended 34 days of fighting between Israel and the Shi'ite Muslim group Hezbollah.

- Reuters