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CNN Live Today

Thirteen Israeli Soldiers Killed in Ambush

Aired April 09, 2002 - 14:01   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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: We begin once again in the Middle East, where faint signs of diplomatic headway were met today with a devastating attack on Israeli soldiers, and more grim words from Israeli leaders. CNN's John Vause joins us now from Jerusalem with another update. Hi, John.

JOHN VAUSE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, hi, Kyra. Thirteen Israeli soldiers, as you say, killed in Jenin in that refugee camp. A suicide bombers detonated a blast which set off a deadly chain reaction. A number of buildings in an alleyway had been booby-trapped. They then exploded as part of that chain reaction.

Also, according to the IDF, a number of Palestinian gunmen who were on nearby rooftops then opened fire. The death toll, 13. Another seven Israeli soldiers were wounded.

These are reservists who were patrolling those streets. You may recall that the Israeli government has called up more than 20,000 reservists as part of this ongoing incursion in the West Bank. This brings to 22 the number of Israeli soldiers killed in Jenin since the Israeli Operation Defensive Shield began, about 12 days ago.

Despite the mounting death toll, we're told 150 Palestinians -- that's the estimate on the Palestinian side -- despite that mounting death toll. The word from the Israeli prime minister is that this operation will continue.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARIEL SHARON, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER (through translator): This is a difficult day. There was a very tough battle between the IDF forces and the terrorist organizations. During the fight in Jenin, 13 IDF soldiers fell. As I said, it was a hard day. A very hard battle is ongoing there.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VAUSE: Now, that ongoing operation happening this morning. We saw the latest Israeli military operation as it rolled in to the small town of Dura. The tanks and the troops moved in. They had air support from helicopter gunships.

They moved into that town. According to the IDF, they were searching for wanted suspects, as well as searching for weapons. The Palestinians say that those tanks destroyed a number of homes and buildings, as well as ripping up roads in that region.

Now, that incursion occurred despite the growing international pressure on the Israelis to stand down, especially from the United States. President George Bush saying that the Israelis should begin that withdrawal now. And also the Secretary of State Colin Powell reinforcing that to the Israeli prime minister on a phone call earlier today.

And we have seen some movement, some withdrawal by the Israeli forces. They did in fact pull out of those two towns, Qalqilya and Tulkarem. And they also left behind quite a bit of damage there as well. We're told that the resistance put up by the Palestinians in those towns was relatively light. Still, the damage left behind by the Israeli troops was fairly substantial. Once again, homes destroyed, businesses badly damaged, roads torn up, in that Israeli incursion there.

What the Israelis are saying, though, is that it will not be a complete withdrawal from those two towns. They will withdraw to the outskirts of the city. In many ways, they will put up a buffer zone. They will surround those cities, as part of the Operation Defensive Shield, as they continue, in the words of the Israeli government, to dismantle the terrorist network, which has been responsible for a wave of suicide bombings in Israel -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: From Jerusalem, John Vause, thank you.

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