Hezbollah and Israel exchange fire for fifth day

Sunday, July 16, 2006

Lebanese officials have said that an Israeli air strike on the southern city of Tyre on Sunday killed nine civilians and wounded 42. Additional attacks on Beirut's international airport set a fuel tank ablaze.

On Sunday, seven Canadian citizens were killed in Israeli air strikes on southern Lebanon, according to a spokesperson for Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay. Six others are in critical condition. The victims were not identified.

The Israeli offensive continued after rockets fired by Hezbollah hit a train station in downtown Haifa Sunday morning, killing eight civilians. Israeli officials claim that four of the rockets were made by Iran.

"After the Zionist enemy exceeded all limits killing and destroying ... the Islamic Resistance announces that it bombarded the city of Haifa with dozens of Raad 2 and Raad 3 rockets at 9 a.m. (0600 GMT)," said Hezbollah in a statement.

At 11:10 a.m., another round of five rockets was fired at Haifa, landing in the sea near Bat Galim, Kiryat Haim and Kiryat Motzkin. Four people reportedly suffered from shock in the attack.

Israel and Hezbollah have been trading attacks since Wednesday. The crisis began when Hezbollah militants made an incursion into Israel, capturing two soldiers patrolling the northern border. Israel has ordered over two million civilians to stay in bomb shelters.

Israel has been bombing various military and civilian targets inside Lebanon, while Hezbollah has been firing less accurate missiles of varying length into Israeli cities. Civilian casualties have been high on both sides.

Overall, over 700 rockets were fired by Hezbollah militants at Israel over the past four days.