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CNN Live Today

Hezbollah Clashes With Israeli Troops

Aired April 05, 2002 - 12:05   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: With its forces at war in the West Bank, Israel is now facing trouble along its northern border.

As CNN's Brent Sadler tells us by phone from Lebanon, an old foe of Israel has reared its head again.

BRENT SADLER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, indeed, Carol. There is continuing clashes between Hezbollah guerillas in south Lebanon and Israeli forces on the other side of this very volatile border area, in a place known as the Shebaa Farms. Now, that's at the foothills of the Golan Heights. It is Israeli-occupied territory, and this is where there has been continual flashpoints, skirmishes over the past four straight days.

What we have seen erupting again in the past hour or so has been Hezbollah guerillas attacking some six Israeli posts in the disputed Shebaa Farms region. In reprisal, the Israeli jets and helicopter gunships being ordered into action to attack suspected Hezbollah guerilla hideouts in south Lebanon, some shells apparently going pretty close to some Lebanese villages, and according to Lebanese security sources, two Lebanese wounded as a result of these reprisals by Israel.

Now, Israel holds both the Syrians as well as the Lebanese authorities, directly responsible for Hezbollah activities along that border area, and Hezbollah has vowed to continue its guerilla warfare to free what it says the Shebaa Farms from Israeli occupation. But Lebanon has been making its voice heard, particularly today, saying that they have no interest in expanding the violence in the Middle East, and indeed, Lebanese army soldiers earlier today captured a rocket launcher and arrested six Palestinians who they believe are being firing Katyusha rockets into this same area, where Hezbollah has been attacking and continues to attack.

Now, twice last year, Carol, Israel hit Syrian targets in Lebanon after similar Hezbollah cross-border raids on the Shebaa Farms, and Syria has been shifting some of its troops in the last few days in Lebanon in what is widely seen by many observers here as a bid to make themselves less of a target for Israel, if and when Israel really does take more serious reprisals than we are seeing now in the wake of these continuing cross-border attacks. So a serious situation escalating, possibly leading to a second war front if it goes on like this -- Carol. LIN: Brent, give us some context for what are you seeing right in southern Lebanon. Is this in sympathy with the Palestinians in their own fight with Israel, or is this Lebanon's own agenda up there?

SADLER: No. This is very much an agenda that some of the military action is led by Hezbollah. Hezbollah is regarded by the Lebanese as a legitimate resistance group that has a right to lead an armed battle against Israeli occupation troops over this patch of land called the Shebaa. The is no one who actually lives there, maybe a few shepherds, but basically it is a military zone occupied by the Israelis. And the Lebanese government supports that for the Syrians. They do not, however, support Palestinian, what they say, renegade groups going to that border area and just blasting away with rocket- propelled grenades or firing Katyusha rockets into the same area.

So there is a distinction there, but of course, Syria has a lot of control over what Hezbollah are doing, as are the Iranians in terms of influence. And even though Lebanon is really trying very hard politically to be seen to be sticking to the rules of the game, if you like, in terms of Hezbollah fighting Israeli occupation groups, it really is hard to distinguish between the two the way things are going now.

Hezbollah has always said quite openly that it has attempted recently to smuggle arms to the Palestinian armed revolt against the Israelis. It is sympathetic to what is going on there. It has called for more suicide bombings against the Israelis over the past few weeks, and Hezbollah has been always holding the position that it morally supports the return of all, what they say, is Palestinian land, pre-948.

So they, along with Iranians, of course, rejecting the peace deal that Arafat made with the Israelis after Oslo in the Madrid peace process. It's very complicated, Carol, but what it boils down to is Hezbollah, which is really the dominant force along that border area, continuing to pressure the Israelis, provoke them almost, if you like, into coming into -- to taking more action against the Lebanese, against the Hezbollah guerillas and of course, the Syrians, which Israel directly holds response for these Hezbollah attacks. So it really is a very serious situation building up right now.

LIN: All right. Thank you very much -- Brent Sadler reporting live from Beirut on the developing situation in southern Lebanon.

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