Ha’aretz is reporting that Hezbollah claims to have kidnapped, (and I do mean kidnapped – enough with this “captured” nonsense) two IDF soldiers.
Hezbollah's Al-Manar television station claimed on Wednesday morning that the Lebanese-militia had kidnapped two Israel Defense Forces soldiers on the northern border in the midst of massive shelling attacks on Israel's north.
The IDF said it has "serious concern" about fate of the two soldiers.
Two other Israelis were wounded when gunmen in Lebanon began pounding IDF positions along the border starting around 9 A.M. The two Israelis were wounded by projectiles that slammed into Moshav Zarit. One was lightly to moderately wounded and the second was lightly wounded. Two other people suffered from shock. The wounded were evacuated to hospital in Nahariya
Northern residents reported hearing massive sounds of gunfire and explosions. Residents of the northern were ordered to enter bomb shelters as heavy exchanges of fire were reported in the western sector of the border area.
Israel Defense Forces responded to the attacks from Lebanon with heavy artillery and tank fire. Al-Manar, the Hezbollah TV station, reported that IDF artillery was pounding the fringes of the villages of Aita el-Shaab, Ramieh and Yaroun in the hills east of the coastal border port of Naqoura. Israel Air Force aircraft were also striking Hezbollah positions in Lebanon
The Jerusalem Post account is carrying a few more details:
The Defense Ministry confirmed early Wednesday afternoon that two soldiers had been kidnapped by Hizbullah after an attack. IDF ground troops had been sent into Lebanon to search for the two. IAF jets, helicopters and UAVs were also flying above Lebanon searching for the soldiers.
Hizbullah's Al Manar TV broadcast earlier Wednesday that the organization had kidnapped the two soldiers. A senior Hizbullah official said that at least one of the allegedly kidnapped soldiers was still alive.
Hizbullah launched a heavy barrage of Katyusha rockets and mortar shells at IDF positions and communities along the northern frontier on Wednesday morning starting about 9:15 a.m. One rocket scored a direct hit on a house in Shtula. Magen David Adom said they had treated six people so far. Both soldiers and civilians have been wounded. The wounded were being evacuated to Nahariya hospital.
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert reacted for the first time to the events in the north on Wednesday morning during a welcoming ceremony for visiting Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi. "There are elements in the north and in the south who are threatening our stability and are trying to test our steadfastness. They will fail, and pay a heavy price for their actions." The IDF vowed to hold the Lebanese accountable for the attacks. According to Channel 10, Hizbullah has offered to exchange the two soldiers and Cpl. Gilad Shalit for thousands of security prisoners.
The only way I can see a prison exchange working is if Hezbollah agrees to absorb all those prisoners released by Israel into Lebanon. Since Israel does not practice capital punishment Israel will eventually have to face releasing those thugs. What better way of dealing with them than sending them to their brethren where they are allegedly valued and wanted?
There is a little nagging voice in the back of my mind that is suggesting that there is a huge plan to these seemingly random events of the last two and a half weeks. Forget the rhetoric that the kidnapping of an Israeli soldier was in retailiation for the arrest of two Hamas brothers by the IDF a few days before the kidnapping. There is no way in a 48-72 hour period that a 300 meter tunnel of the size it was could have been dug without the Israeli’s knowing. Little by little to escape detection-absolutely.
So in whose interest does an offensive launched by proxies against Israel reflect?
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