Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, July 10, 1990 TAG: 9007100139
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: BEIRUT, LEBANON LENGTH: Medium
Police said eight civilians and four combatants of Hezbollah, or Party of God, were killed. Twenty-eight others, including 10 fighters, were wounded, they said.
The sudden escalation of violence coincided with reports that a Western hostage, most probably a European, would soon be freed by Shiite Moslem captors under pressure from Iran.
"Let us pray the Israeli attacks will not scuttle efforts to free one of the hostages," said a Shiite source close to Hezbollah's Iranian-backed leadership.
"The hostage-holders are definitely restless, but I personally believe Iran's pressure will probably override the impact of the attacks," he said on condition of anonymity.
Danny Neveh, spokesman for Defense Minister Moshe Arens, rejected any links between the raids and hostages and said the timing of the air strikes was "based only on our operating policy against terrorism."
A police spokesman said four U.S.-built F-4 Phantom fighter bombers mounted two bombing runs, 10 minutes apart, on Loweizeh and Melita in southern Lebanon.
The attacks came one day after Israeli jets had flattened a Hezbollah base just two miles to the south. Three fighters were killed and 12 wounded in Sunday's raid.
In Jerusalem, the Israeli military command said its warplanes struck targets used by Hezbollah for "organizing and launching attacks" and returned safely. It did not elaborate.
An Israeli government source said the timing of the latest raids might look unfortunate, but could be the result of a lack of coordination between the military and political echelons in Israel. He spoke on condition of anonymity.
A Shiite source, who also requested anonymity, said Tehran was pushing hard for the release of a hostage in appreciation for aid it received after the June 21 earthquake there.
He would not speculate on the identity of the hostage to be released, despite expectations in Beirut, London and Dublin that it probably would be Irish educator Brian Keenan.
by CNB