Captured soldiers 'seriously wounded' in attack that started Israeli-Hezbollah war

The two Israeli soldiers captured by Hezbollah guerrillas last summer suffered serious injuries in the attack that sparked a month-long war, military officials said today, raising the possibility the men may no longer be alive.

One of the soldiers was in critical condition after Hezbollah launched its cross-border attack on July 12, while the other was seriously wounded, the officials said.

Military censors had previously prohibited publication of their conditions.

Hezbollah has not released any details on the conditions of Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser or provided any signs that they are still alive.

Hezbollah has demanded that Israel release Arab prisoners in exchange for the missing servicemen.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has demanded that Hezbollah provide signs of life before he will consider a deal.

In a statement, the military would say only that a report about the circumstances of the abduction has been given to the defence minister, army commander and families of the soldiers.

“The working assumption of the army was and remains that the abducted soldiers are alive and according to that assumption the army continues its efforts to bring the soldiers home,” the statement said.

Three soldiers were killed in the attack, and it was widely believed that the two captured soldiers were wounded after a fierce battle at the scene. But the military was unsure of their conditions until it completed an investigation several weeks after the incident.

The attack sparked a 34-day war between Israel and Hezbollah. More than 1,000 people were killed on both sides, according to the UN and Israeli and Lebanese officials.

Lebanon says most of those killed were civilians. Israel claims 800 Hezbollah fighters were killed, though that figure was not substantiated. On the Israeli side, 159 people were killed, including 39 soldiers.

The UN-brokered ceasefire that ended the war calls for the unconditional release of the soldiers. Under the ceasefire, a beefed-up UN peacekeeping force, along with Lebanese government troops, is policing the border with Israel.