Israel-Lebanon "war"?

July 14, 2006

Ma'am News Agency

Bethlehem- Ma'an- As Israel continues its offensive in Lebanon, and Hezbollah retaliates by targeting different northern Israeli cities, the Arab and international parties have been offering their reactions and condemnations.

The Israeli offensive has consisted of Israeli forces bombarding Lebanon from the ground, the sea and the air, seriously damaging the runway of Beirut international airport. In addition, Israeli battleships imposed a siege on the port of Tripoli, in the north of Lebanon, and the Israeli minister of domestic security threatened to kill the Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrullah. Moreover, the Israeli bombardment reached the Lebanese towns of Hamata, Bleida, Marjayoun and Bint Jubail. Israeli forces also shelled the Zahrani Bridge in south Lebanon.

Hezbollah has reacted by sending large numbers of rockets into northern Israel: 11 missiles have landed in Nahariya and 20 in Safad. 15 Israeli injuries have been reported in Nahariya and Safad.

Fuel containers have also been set on fire in Nahariya and a number of missiles hit the office of the Israeli air forces administration in the region of Mount Jurmoq.

On the international front, United States president George Bush said that Israel has the right to defend itself, while his Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice urged Israel to show "self-restraint".

The Russian and French foreign ministers have criticized the Israeli reaction, calling it "over exaggerated and inappropriate" and saying that by this action, Israel is declaring "war".

While in Iran, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad warned that any Israeli aggression against Syria would be taken as "aggression against the whole Islamic world" and would be met with "harsh retaliation".