Troops head to river
As the peace deal was being discussed, the IDF said its troops were moving
toward the Litani River.
Israel Radio said units reached the river Saturday, The Associated Press
reported.
Hezbollah militants later shot down an Israeli military helicopter in
southern Lebanon, and five Israeli soldiers were missing, the IDF said.
Seven Israeli soldiers were killed and 60 others wounded during fighting in
the region, an IDF spokesman said. Of the 60, 11 were critically wounded, the
spokesman said.
A total of 19 soldiers were killed in fighting Saturday, the IDF said, making
it the largest single-day loss of life for the IDF since the fighting began.
Fifteen Israeli soldiers died Wednesday.
The IDF said it carried out more than 80 airstrikes in southern Lebanon
overnight and confirmed that one targeted the southern Lebanese town of Rashaf.
Fifteen people were killed in Rashaf, and two buildings thought to be used by
Hezbollah were hit in the southern port city of Tyre believed, Arabic language
news media reported.
The IDF said it destroyed sites where guerrillas gathered and stored weapons,
a bunker near the village of A-Hiam, and nine bridges and routes it said were
being used for weapons smuggling. The IDF said "over 40 Hezbollah terrorists"
had been killed in the last 24 hours.
Israel airstrikes also targeted power stations in Tyre and Sidon in southern
Lebanon, cutting off electricity in the areas.
In Beirut, Israeli aircraft released anti-Hezbollah leaflets, calling on
people to "get rid of the destroyer of Lebanon."
"You can recuperate the scent of the cedars if you want," a caption said,
referring to the green tree depicted on Lebanon's flag.
