Israel continues to bomb terror group
BEIRUT, Lebanon — Israel pounded suspected Hezbollah positions across Lebanon today, extending its air campaign a day after suffering its highest one-day casualty toll since its military offensive began.
At the same time, top Israeli Cabinet ministers decided not to expand the country's Lebanon offensive but ordered the call up of thousands of additional reserve soldiers to boost the campaign, officials said.
During a session with the security Cabinet, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said the goals of Israel's 17-day offensive are being met, participants of the meeting said.
The ministers said the call up of three additional reserve divisions, comprising thousands of soldiers, was meant to refresh troops in Lebanon.
Today's airstrikes hit a Lebanese army base and a radio relay station and destroyed several roads.
On Wednesday, a high-level Mideast conference in Rome ended in disagreement, with most European leaders urging an immediate cease-fire, but the U.S. willing to give Israel more time to punish the guerrilla group.
Justice Minister Haim Ramon, who is close to Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, said Israel interprets this as a green light to continue its offensive.
"We received yesterday at the Rome conference permission from the world ... to continue the operation, this war, until Hezbollah won't be located in Lebanon and until it is disarmed," he told Israel Army Radio. "Everyone understands that a victory for Hezbollah is a victory for world terror."
The call for greater firepower came after Israel suffered its heaviest casualty toll in a single battle in the 16-day campaign, with nine soldiers killed and 25 wounded in house-to-house fighting in Hezbollah strongholds in Lebanon on Wednesday.
The crisis began July 12 when Hezbollah fighters staged a cross-border attack that led to the deaths of eight Israeli soldiers and left two captured.
