Heavy fighting was reported in southern Lebanon between the Israel Defense Forces and the guerillas for the militant group Hezbollah as Israeli forces continued to dismantle Hezbollah's military capabilities.
In addition to the fighting, Israeli planes launched new strikes against Hezbollah strongholds to the south of Beirut early on Thursday, followed by attacks on Hezbollah's main area of support in eastern Bekaa Valley.
Hezbollah guerillas were retreating away from the Israeli border as the fighting continued.
The guerillas did launch 25 more rockets into Israel, although no casualties were reported. Thus far, more than 1,100 rockets have been fired by Hezbollah guerillas into Israel.
There were Israeli casualties in the ground fighting with three reported wounded in fighting with Hezbollah gunmen.
Another battle just over the border near the Israeli town of Avivim resulted in the injuring of one Israeli soldier after his tank was fired upon.
Wednesday night, Israeli forces dropped leaflets in the towns south of the Litani River warning civilians to leave the area and stating that those carrying weapons and rockets would be targeted by the IDF.
U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan continued to press for a ceasefire, saying, 'hostilities must stop.' He was critical of both sides of the dispute, saying that Hezbollah's kidnapping of Israeli soldiers and firing rockets into Israel 'hold an entire nation hostage' while condemning what he called Israel's 'excessive use of force' in fighting back.
Thus far, at least 306 people have been killed in Lebanon as a result of the fighting while 29 Israelis have been killed.
Meanwhile, 40 U.S. Marines have been sent to Lebanon to help evacuate American citizens from that country. The U.S.S. Nashville is scheduled to take as many as 1,200 people to nearby Cyprus.
The fighting continues and a ceasefire seems very far away.
