Hezbollah reports clash with Israeli commandos

Hezbollah said its guerrillas clashed early today with an Israeli commando force that landed near their stronghold of Baalbek deep inside Lebanon.

Lebanese security officials could not confirm the Hezbollah TV report of a drop of Israeli commandos by helicopter at a field Boudai west of Baalbek in eastern Lebanon or whether there were any airstrikes.

The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorised to release information to reporters, reported heavy Israeli overflights.

Hezbollah’s Al-Manar TV said the Israeli unit landed before dawn and was driving into the village, when it was intercepted by guerrillas, who forced it to retreat under the cover of warplanes.

Similar overflights were reported last night in the same area.

Israeli warplanes have not attacked Lebanon since an August 14 ceasefire halted 34-days of fighting between Hezbollah and Israeli forces.

The Hezbollah report said blood-soaked bandages were found later at the landing site outside Boudai, about 15km west of Baalbek, indicating there were casualties among the Israelis.

There was no immediate comment from Israel on the reports.

Baalbek is the birthplace of the Iranian and Syrian-backed Hezbollah. The area in the eastern Bekaa Valley, 100km north of the Israeli border, is a major guerrilla stronghold.

On August 2, Israeli commandos targeted the Iranian-funded, Hezbollah-run Dar al-Hikma Hospital.

The commando assault and Israeli strikes throughout the region around the ancient town killed 16 people, according to Lebanese police. Baalbek residents said four people were taken away and none were Hezbollah fighters.

Israel said then that the building its commandos entered was not a hospital but a Hezbollah headquarters. The Israelis said they captured five guerrilla fighters and killed 10 others before withdrawing.