Israel to widen ground offensive

by BBC (reposted)

Mon, Jul 31, 2006 7:15PM

The Israeli cabinet has agreed to widen the country's ground offensive against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.

The decision, made at a closed door session, received unanimous approval, according to a senior political source.

The government is also planning to call up thousands more reservists, Israeli radio reported.

Earlier Prime Minister Ehud Olmert ruled out an immediate truce, saying Israel would continue its offensive as long as its security was threatened.

Mr Olmert also reiterated calls for the release of the two Israeli soldiers seized by Hezbollah - whose capture in a cross-border raid sparked the conflict on 12 July.

Speaking in Tel Aviv he said the offensive would end "when the threat over our heads is removed (and) when our kidnapped soldiers return to their homes".

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/5233518.stm

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§Israel: the fight continues

by ALJ

Mon, Jul 31, 2006 7:17PM

Israel has vowed to press ahead with its offensive on Lebanon and has launched another incursion, ignoring mounting international pressure for a ceasefire.

Ehud Olmert, the Israeli prime minister, said on Monday that there would be no ceasefire in the war in the coming days.

"The fighting continues. There is no ceasefire and there will not be any ceasefire in the coming days," he told local officials, to much applause.

"We will stop the war when the [rocket] threat is removed ... our captive soldiers return home in peace, and you are able to live in safety and security.

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http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/820EE303-ADAB-44E7-AA4D-DFE985238B6C.htm

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§Olmert: There will be no cease-fire in coming days

by Haaretz (reposted)

Mon, Jul 31, 2006 7:18PM

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's political-security cabinet voted in the early hours of Tuesday morning to expand Israel's ground operation in south Lebanon.

Under the plan, and similar to last week's operation carried out in Bint Jbail, IDF forces will mount raids on villages that have served as Hezbollah bases. The plan was presented to Olmert during meetings held Saturday with Defense Minister Amir Peretz and defense establishment heads.

The cabinet voted nearly unanimously in favor of the plan, with none opposed and one abstention.

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http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/744695.html

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§ Israel OKs expansion of Lebanon campaign

by CNN (reposted)

Mon, Jul 31, 2006 10:07PM

JERUSALEM (CNN) -- Israel's Security Cabinet has approved an expansion of the ground campaign against Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon, Israeli officials said early Tuesday.

The announcement came hours after Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said his military was inflicting heavy damage on Hezbollah and rejected international calls for a cease-fire until Israel has pushed the Shiite Muslim militia back from its borders.

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http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/07/31/mideast.main/index.html

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