Israel Matzav

The rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air

Israel has been hit by Hezbullah rockets again this afternoon and the results are not pretty. One person was killed on Kibbutz Saar north of Nahariya and six people were wounded by rocket strikes today. Additionally, an Iranian Khabar-1 rocket landed between Beit Shean and Jenin, some 70 kilometers (42 miles) from the Lebanese border, which is the furthest south any rockets have reached. Over 125 rockets have been shot into Israel from Lebanon today; according to HaAretz Lebanese sources claim that some 300 rockets have been fired today, but Israel denies that claim. So much for Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's statements yesterday that the Lebanon operation is 'already a success' and that Israel has 'entirely destroyed' Hezbullah's infrastructure. (By the way, the article from the second link originally appeared on HaAretz's web site and has been removed. I have a captured copy of it in an email from Harvey in Efrat).

Warning sirens went off in Nahariya, Akko (Acre), Tverya (Tiberias), Haifa, Hatzor, Kiryat Shmona and Safed, followed by rocket landings. A rocket scored a direct hit on a house in Akko, but the family had already taken cover inside a shelter and so were unharmed. A house in Kiryat Shmona was damaged by a rocket but its residents were unscathed. An empty house in Tverya was also hit.

According to Army Radio, earlier Wednesday morning, two rockets landed in open areas near Tsfat (Safed), five landed near Rosh Pina, and another five landed near Ma'alot.

Very early Wednesday morning, rockets or mortars fell near Kiryat Shmona as well.

In northern Israel, 12 other people were wounded and homes in four communities sustained direct rocket strikes Wednesday morning. At least 63 rockets fell within an hour.

Two Israel Defense Forces soldiers were also wounded Wednesday by Katyusha rockets which landed on the Lebanese side of the border.

In Nahariya, a home caught fire after it was hit by a rocket. Other empty homes were struck in Rosh Pina and Tiberias, and homes were also struck in Acre and in Safed.

Two people were moderately wounded by shrapnel in Safed and another person sustained light to moderate wounds in Acre. Nine others were lightly wounded across the north, in Acre, Safed, Tiberias and Kiryat Shmona. A number of people were also treated for shock.

YNet has details of the death of the man on Kibbutz Sa'ar:

A rocket struck Kibbutz Sa'ar, north of Nahariya; a man riding a bicycle in the kibbutz's path was struck by shrapnel and instantly killed.

Greg Whittles, a Magen David Adom paramedic, was the first on the scene, and said: "A rocket fell very close to this man. He was riding his bike and due to shock and internal injuries, we had no choice but to declare his death shortly afterwards."

The entire area sustained a major hit, and three other people were treated for shock. Since the start of fighting the kibbutz has absorbed tens of rocket strikes in open territories.

Ehud Olmert notwithstanding, this war is far from over.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 3:00 PM