Israel warning to Lebanese civilians: get out

(Haifa, Israel-WABC, July 16, 2006) (WABC) -- Lebanese guerillas fired a relentless barrage of rockets into Israel's third largest city. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said there would be "far-reaching consequences" for the attack. Meanwhile, U.S. security teams arrived in Beirut to begin evacuating Americans.

Top Israeli general warns of new attacks
A top Israeli general warned residents of south Lebanon to get out Sunday morning. He says a heavy Israeli attack is imminent. Major General Udi Adam says Israel wants to avoid "innocent victims," so he's giving two to three hours notice of an attack on southern Lebanon.

U.S. security teams arrive in Lebanon to evacuate Americans
U.S. security teams arrived by helicopter Sunday at the U.S. Embassy in Beirut to start planning the evacuation of Americans from Lebanon. Witnesses said two helicopters flew over the Mediterranean and landed on the embassy ground, located on a fortified hilltop in the north Beirut suburb of Aukar.

The U.S. Embassy said the teams would arrange for "secure transportation for American citizens who wish to depart Lebanon." There are an estimated 25,000 Americans living or working in Lebanon. U.S. officials said they assume that only a small number will choose to leave.

The United States has said Americans would be evacuated from Lebanon to the neighboring island of Cyprus. Israeli airstrikes have closed down Beirut's international airport and targeted the main highway to neighboring Syria. Israel also imposed a naval blockade on Lebanon.

Israel renews attacks on Beirut's airport
Lebanese security officials say Israel has renewed attacks on Beirut's airport, setting a fuel storage tank ablaze.

And at least nine people are dead after two missiles fired by an Israeli warplane hit a residential building housing civil defense offices in the southern port city of Tyre. More than 50 others are hurt.

A civil defense worker says the casulty figures are likely to climb, because "many others" are missing.

Meanwhile, Canada says eight Canadians were killed Sunday in an Israeli air raid that hit a Lebanese town on the border with Israel. Six other Candians are in critical condition.

The airstrikes come after Lebanese guerillas fired a relentless barrage of rockets into the northern Israeli city of Haifa during morning rush hour Sunday, killing eight people at a train station and wounding seven

Hezbollah said it intentionally avoided hitting petrochemical installations in Haifa, according to a statement read on Al-Manar television, the Islamic guerrillas' main voice to the world.

"But the next time, it (Hezbollah) will not spare anything in Haifa and its surroundings," the statement said.

Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah says his guerrillas have "complete strength and power" despite Israel's five-day bombardment.

The Haifa attack raised Israel's death toll in the fighting to at least 24, half of them civilians. At least 130 people have been killed by Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon, most of them also civilians.

Israeli troops fighting on two fronts
The escalating violence between Israel and Hezbollah opened a second front for Israel, which was already battling Hamas-linked Islamic militants in the Gaza Strip following the capture of an Israeli soldier June 25th. Israel has since expanded its mission from the immediate need to free the soldier, along with two captured by Hezbollah guerillas on Wednesday, to a campaign to halt rocket fire from Gaza and to neutralize Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Israeli troops, tanks and helicopter gunships re-entered northern Gaza on Sunday, firing missiles and exchanging gunfire with armed Palestinians. The raid killed five Palestinians, including three militants.

Masked militants in Gaza vowed Sunday to launch more rockets at Israel "to show solidarity with the twin of our resistance," referring to Hezbollah.

World leaders agree on Mideast warfare
World leaders, managing to resolve sharp differences over an escalating crisis between Israel and Lebanon, declared Sunday that extremist groups in the region cannot be allowed to plunge the Middle East into chaos and must immediately halt their attacks.

The leaders of the world's eight industrial powers issued a strong statement condemning Hezbollah militants but also urged Israel to exercise restraint in its military actions against Lebanon.

The statement said it was critical for Israel to "be mindful of the strategic and humanitarian consequences of its actions." It called on Israel "to exercise utmost restraint" by seeking to avoid casualties among innocent civilians and damage to civilian infrastructure.

The statement called for two captured Israeli soldiers to be freed, for the attacks on Israel by Hezbollah militants to stop and for Israel to end its military action. It also expressed support for the Lebanese government.

The crisis dominated talks among President Bush and the other leaders attending the annual G-8 summit of major industrial countries. The Group of Eight is made up of the United States, Russia, Japan, Germany, Britain, France, Italy, and Canada.

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