Israel Matzav

First 'official' estimates of Lebanese losses in last summer's war

Naharnet is reporting that Lebanese President Fouad Saniora has given the first (and probably only) 'official' estimates of Lebanese losses in last summer's war:

Prime Minister Fouad Saniora said Monday last summer's 34-day war between Israel and Hizbullah has claimed 1.200 lives and wounded 4.400 people.

Saniora provided in a news conference the first official estimate of casualties sustained during the July-August war between Hizbullah and Israel.

He said 7.500 fishermen also sustained damage to their boats, nets and equipment due to heavy Israeli bombardment.

During the confrontation, Saniora said, 862 schools were damaged and 22 schools were completely destroyed.

Sappers from the Lebanese Army, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have defused 114.000 cluster bombs and 468 other types of bombs dropped by Israeli forces during the war, according to Saniora.

The Israeli offensive also damaged and destroyed 91 bridges throughout Lebanon as well as runways in Lebanon's three airports, according to Saniora.

He said most of the damage inflicted by the infra structure also has been repaired by government teams.

International donors provided Lebanon with 707 million dollars in aid, Saniora said.

And Hezbullah wants to do this again?

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 12:26 AM