Israel Bombs 'Hizbullah Target' on Lebanon-Syria Border, Observatory Says Missile Base Hit
Israeli warplanes waged strikes on Monday evening near the Lebanese-Syrian border which reportedly hit a "Hizbullah target" suspected of being a "missile base."
"Two Israeli raids hit a Hizbullah target on the border of Lebanon and Syria," a Lebanese security source told Agence France Presse.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the target was a Hizbullah "missile base that is taking part in the military operations in the Syrian Qalamoun area near the border with Lebanon.
In remarks to the Associated Press, a military spokesman said the Lebanese Army had no indication of any airstrikes in the area but was investigating the reports.
Residents of al-Nabi Sheet, on the Lebanese side of the border, told AFP they saw flare bombs light up the sky ahead of the raids, which shook their houses.
Residents in neighboring areas said they heard planes flying low before the raids.
Al-Nabi Sheet is a bastion of Hizbullah and the group has a suspected weapons store and training camp there.
Quoting unnamed sources, Al-Arabiya TV said “Hizbullah members were killed in the Israeli raids in the Bekaa.”
The pan-Arab, Saudi-owned TV network said the airstrikes targeted the outskirts of the town of Brital and “Hizbullah positions in Brital, al-Nabi Sheet and Ali al-Nahri.”
Citing reports, Al-Arabiya said the Israeli raids hit two Hizbullah trucks that were headed for Syria.
And quoting other unconfirmed reports, Al-Arabiya said Hizbullah was seeking to transport “ballistic missiles” from Syria into Lebanon when the airstrikes occurred.
Earlier on Monday, MTV said "Israeli airstrikes targeted the areas of Brital, Hawrtaala, al-Nabi Sheet, al-Khodr and Ali al-Nahri" in the Bekaa.
MTV, however, said later that the strikes hit targets inside Syria.
OTV said Israeli raids struck Janta, al-Nabi Sheet and an area near Brital.
Earlier, Al-Arabiya quoted witnesses as saying that "more than two Israeli airstrikes have targeted Hizbullah posts in the outskirts of the towns of Janta, Brital and al-Nabi Sheet."
For its part, Lebanon's state-run National News Agency reported two Israeli airstrikes on "the outskirts of al-Nabi Sheet near the Lebanese-Syrian border."
LBCI television, however, said the Israeli warplanes struck targets inside Syria "in the countryside facing the towns of Janta and Yahfoufa."
And Hizbullah's al-Manar TV said "security sources have not confirmed that any Israeli airstrike has taken place inside Lebanese territory in the Eastern Mountain Range."
| Copyright © 2012 Naharnet.com. All Rights Reserved. | https://naharnet.com/stories/en/120074 |