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Fighting displaces 5,00,000 civilians

Atul Aneja

40 killed in Lebanon as Israel steps up attacks

PHOTO: AP

IN THE GRIP OF FEAR: The sound of approaching Israeli warplanes sends this Lebanese in Hadath on Wednesday scurrying for cover. A convoy of trucks was targeted before dawn.

DUBAI: Diplomatic efforts to ease tensions caused by the fighting between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hizbollah appeared to have stalled amid growing violence that has begun to take a heavy toll of civilian lives.

Fresh air strikes have killed at least 40 civilians, as Israel attacked southern Lebanon. Around 12 persons died and at least 30 were wounded during the bombing of the village of Srifa, near Tyre, in south Lebanon.

The fierce assault has flattened at least 10 homes in the area.

Residents in Srifa said at least 10 members of one family died, and reports of higher casualties in other houses have also emerged.

The southern town of Nabatiyeh was also attacked, where six persons died. The Hizbollah stronghold of Baalbek in the east has continued to remain in the firing line during the weeklong fighting.

Aid agencies have estimated that the conflict has so far displaced nearly 5,00,000 persons. They, along with U.N. agencies, have been at the forefront in demanding a ceasefire on humanitarian grounds. Israel attacked Lebanon after Hizbollah captured two of its soldiers in a cross-border raid a week ago.

Diplomatic sources point out that there have been no indications, so far, that Israel is interested in a ceasefire. Analysts say Israel is now keen to extend its attacks to dismantle Hizbollah's fighting capability permanently. The Israeli daily, Haaretz, quoted a senior commander as saying Israel sought "to significantly weaken Hizbollah but not crush it." The official added "it is impossible to crush a popular, religious movement." Israeli Defence Minister Amir Peretz was quoted as saying attacks against Hizbollah would continue "without letup and time limit."

Israeli ground troops have continued to mount what they call "restricted pinpoint attacks" across the border in southern Lebanon. However, Hizbollah's Al-Manar television channel has reported that two Israeli soldiers were killed and three wounded in the raid, which was repulsed.

The unabated conflict has triggered an exodus of foreigners out of Lebanon. A British warship carrying 180 persons from Lebanon has arrived in Cyprus. Around 5,000 Britons are likely to exit Lebanon in the next few days. A Norwegian ferry has sailed for Cyprus with hundreds of Norwegians, Swedes and Americans on board. Apart from westerners, around 30,000 citizens from Philippines have been stranded in Lebanon.

Adding pressure on Syria, a key Hizbollah ally, U.S. President George Bush has accused Damascus of using the crisis to renew its influence in Lebanon. "Syria is trying to get back into Lebanon, it looks like to me," he said.

A U.N. team that has been in the region in the last few days is set to return to New York and report to Secretary-General Kofi Annan. The E.U. foreign policy chief Javier Solana is to meet Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, Palestinian officials and Egyptian negotiators.

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