Israeli Commando Raid On Tyre Nets Hezbollah Captives
Posted by Captain Ed
Israeli naval commandos raided the Mediterranean port of Tyre early Saturday, destroying a missile-launch site and capturing Hezbollah terrorists, including senior members. The operation comes after Israel destroyed the last major road link to Syria, cutting off escape and resupply routes for the beleagured terrorists in Lebanon:
<<< The operation, which was conducted based on military intelligence, targeted terrorists that were responsible for firing long-range rockets at Israel, including those that reached Hadera on Friday.
The commandos entered an apartment building in a crowded residential area in northern Tyre, where they engaged with Hizbullah operatives, including three senior members.
When the elite unit left the apartment, they were fired upon from several directions. IAF aircrafts and drones covered the force and cleared an exit for it. Seven Lebanese were killed in the operation.
Head of Naval intelligence told Army Radio that an aerial assault on the building was avoided since it was not known whether there were civilians in the building. He also mentioned that the ground operation sent a strong message to the fighters, indicating that the IDF can reach deep into Lebanon. >>>
The IDF has now conducted two impressive commando operations far to Hezbollah's rear without much loss. Two commandos received serious wounds in this operation and six others light wounds, while the Baalbek raid resulted in no casualties at all. The efficiency and success demonstrates the difference between a group of zealous terrorists and a professional military force. While zealots may fight with surprising tenacity and insane levels of self-sacrifice, they cannot conduct complicated operations such as these raids, and therefore have little hope of ever beating Israel militarily. That, plus the advantage of Israeli air supremacy, puts Hezbollah at a serious disadvantage in open war.
This is the reason why they objected to Israel's response to what was supposed to be a simple abduction. It's also the reason why Israel and the US object to an immediate cease-fire agreement; Hezbollah retains the advantage in a low-level conflict, and no one expects them to stop fighting one.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah has continued its Baghdad Bob public-relations strategy. They still have not acknowledged that the Israelis they claimed to have trapped in Baalbek do not exist, and now they claim to have repelled the commando forces in Tyre. The Jerusalem Post, however, displays a picture of the results of their missile attack on a road during the raid, which tends to belie the Hezbollah description of events. As for the operatives captured by the IDF, perhaps Al-Manar will tell us that they are on their way to visit Fidel Castro in the hospital ...
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