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CNN Live Saturday

Israeli Troops Mass at Lebanese Border; Casualties Increase on Both Sides; Doctors Struggle to Reach Patients In Lebanon; American Evacuees From Lebanon Begin to Return Home

Aired July 22, 2006 - 18:00   ET

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

CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: John, this is what's coming up this hour as well.
As the air strikes are raining down, you don't have to translate "Hurry, hurry, hurry." Lebanese soldiers desperately usher civilians to safety.

And no time to talk as a rocket slams into Israel.

Plus this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We're thankful for all of the efforts people are doing to make us welcome and bring us back home. And we really appreciate that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: Tearful, exhausted, yet overjoyed at being pulled from harm's way. Coming up in 15 minutes, American families escape from a war zone.

Israeli forces are now inside Lebanon, and this is what we know right now. Israeli troops forced Hezbollah guerillas to flee the Lebanese town of Maroun al-Ras today. IDF commanders say that they're trying to create a secure buffer zone.

Now, Hezbollah peppered northern Israel for the 11th straight day with Katyusha rockets. More than a dozen people were injured.

Israeli warplanes knocked out communications towers across northern Lebanon, and bombs destroyed TV and phone service, killing at least one television employee. John, it is an escalating situation, and you are on the front lines there in Haifa.

ROBERTS: And, Carol, it actually has been fairly quiet here in Haifa. Typically, the pattern is that when the sun goes down, the Katyusha rockets that have been firing all day cease. It's because Hezbollah doesn't want to fire those rockets when the sun goes down. They act like a flare that the Israeli Defense Forces could zero in on and immediately pound the position where those the rockets were launched from.

During the day, though, it's a different story. Haifa was targeted nine times, a total of 120 Katyushas coming across the border today. However, in Haifa, all of those missiles fell harmlessly in an open area.

In Nahariya, a port city a little further north toward the border with Lebanon, it was a different story. Twenty-two Katyusha rockets came in there today. Three of them hit homes. A couple of people were injure there.

Further inland in the towns of Safed, Carmel, and also up in Kiryat Shimona, which is very close to the border with Lebanon, more rockets going in there. A total of 20 people injured, three of them seriously, according to Israeli officials.

Today also saw a lot of action on the ground, fighting between Israeli forces and Hezbollah across the border with Lebanon. In the town of Matula where the action was centered, and that's where CNN's Christiane Amanpour is.

Christiane, good evening.

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR, CNN CHIEF INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good evening. And, indeed, the Israeli forces tell us -- the military spokespeople and commanders tell us that now they are in control of the village of Maroun al-Ras, which is just across inside Lebanon from the town of Avivim, the Israeli town of Avivim, which we and other reporters have been watching for the last several days because it's been the closest ground battle between Israeli forces and Hezbollah.

As I say, Israel says it's moved Hezbollah out of there, although it came at a cost. Six Israeli soldiers were killed, and an undetermined number of Hezbollah guerillas killed.

Also, the Israeli military is stepping back from what appeared to be the impression that there might be an imminent ground invasion of southern Lebanon. Now, they say that they're going to continue their current limited ground operation. And we're hearing that it may still take several weeks.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

Ten days of fears, Israeli air and tank bombardment, and the Katyusha rockets are still falling on northern Israel. A small Israeli armored unit waiting by the border watches a fire fighting plane trying to douse flames spreading along the hillside.

At a briefing near the front, the Israeli army shows reporters some of the ammunition, anti-tank rockets and other weapons it says its soldiers have captured after battling Hezbollah militants on the ground in southern Lebanon. They call those in-and-out missions.

From the army chief on down, the Israeli military is now not talking about an invasion. All these tanks and troops, it says, are designed to reinforce the current, quote, "limited ground incursions" under way.

Separately, diplomatic sources tell CNN that this activity could last another several weeks with potentially a cease-fire in place in about three weeks time, but one that's backed by a political solution that envisages the Lebanese army and a robust new international force taking over in southern Lebanon.

In the meantime, the Israeli army says it's trying to make a Hezbollah-free zone by hitting them hard on the ground. So with leaflets, loud speakers and flares, the Israelis are trying to get the Lebanese civilians to move out.

LT. COL. YISHAI EFRONI, ISRAELI ARMY: I urge them to leave as soon as possible. Why? Because Hezbollah is still shooting. And because they're shooting, we want to stop the shooting, we shoot back.

AMANPOUR: As his commanding general says, Israeli forces want to open fire freely.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

Now most of that briefing and interviews and briefings from other Israeli military leaders in the last day or so have really concentrated on what they say is their concern and their care about not causing excess civilian casualties in Lebanon.

And this is because there's been such an outcry, now, certainly in the rest of the world, gathering about the level of casualties that are being caused in Lebanon during this now ten-day air bombardment. So they're now telling us very definitively, trying to explain all sorts of procedures and things they're trying to implement, so as to minimize casualties on the ground -- John?

ROBERTS: Christiane Amanpour in the town of Metula. Christiane, thanks.

And in order to minimize those casualties, the Israeli army has been telling people in 14 Lebanese towns near the border to clear out, to get north of the Litani river.

Now, as you can imagine, that's creating an incredible influx of people into the northern part of the country, into a country that's already had its infrastructure very quickly degraded. And that's causing big humanitarian problems. Ben Wedeman takes a look at that part of the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BEN WEDEMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: "Hurry, hurry, hurry," shouts a Lebanese soldier trying to break a bottleneck at the Litani river, 20 miles from the border with Israel. The Israeli army has warned that Lebanese civilians should get out and go north.

Lebanese officials say nearly a million people have been made homeless by the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. "There's bombing. We're afraid," says Hana Hijeji (ph). "we haven't seen any fighters. They" -- the Israelis -- "are bombing our homes."

And they're bombing in the hills above the road, hunting for Hezbollah's elusive targets. In better times, the drive from Tyre to Beirut would take an hour and a half. Now it takes up to five hours, if you're lucky.

Israeli missiles and bombs have cratered roads and destroyed bridges, forcing traffic onto dusty, congested tracks. Despite it all, some are still defiant. "We're with the resistance," shouts this refugee, referring to Hezbollah's militia, who are nowhere to be seen in this mess.

Cars are going out, but now cars are going into the south, many of them to pick up relatives in villages in the south that are under bombardment. This round the clock fighting drove this family out of their home.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Because of that, because it's not good. Nothing is left.

WEDEMAN: Where are you going now?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't know. I don't know. I don't know where I go.

WEDEMAN: No time to talk. Time to go.

Ben Wedeman, CNN, south Lebanon.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTS: And the United Nations warning of a building humanitarian crisis. U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan says officials can't even begin to determine the scope of that crisis.

And they're urgently asking the United States to speak with Israel to open up a humanitarian corridor so that they can bring shiploads of relief supplies into the port of Beirut, or maybe one just a little bit further to the north because all of the land bridges to get those supplies over have been cut off. The only way to get that urgently needed humanitarian care is in Baisi (ph) -- Carol?

LIN: John, it's like dual paths here. Trying to get humanitarian aid, yet, as Christiane has been reporting from the border, Israel continues its incursions into southern Lebanon. We wanted to show the audience what Hezbollah is up against. You take a look at, for example, Lebanon's army. It has 61,000 troops. Israel's army is three times that size.

Lebanon has 280 tanks and 14 helicopters, but Israel has 12 times as many. Lebanon has 20 ships, Israel 58. Lebanon has no combat planes at all. Israel has 470. And when you take a look at the number of people killed and wounded, well, that number is growing.

The official Lebanese sources tell CNN at least 265 people have died in Lebanon, and more than 600 others have been wounded. Israeli defense officials say 34 Israelis have been killed in the fighting, and that includes 15 civilians and 19 Israeli soldiers. Officials say more than 300 other Israelis have been wounded in Hezbollah rocket attacks.

So now we know that the Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is traveling to the Middle East tomorrow. She is going to meet with Israeli and Palestinian leaders about the crisis. Meantime, President Bush is at his ranch in Crawford, Texas. CNN's Elaine Quijano joins us live from Crawford.

Elaine, the United States still maintaining it's not going to demand a cease-fire.

ELAINE QUIJANO, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Well, that's exactly right. Good afternoon to you, Carol. President Bush is keeping a close watch on the developments from his ranch here in Crawford, Texas. At the same time, today, he reiterated his view that the root cause of the problem is Hezbollah.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

As Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice prepares to head to the Middle East, President Bush again blamed Hezbollah and its backers, Iran and Syria, for sparking the recent violence.

GEORGE W. BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Secretary Rice will make it clear that resolving the crisis demands confronting the terrorist group that launched the attacks and the nations that support it.

QUIJANO: In his weekly radio address, the president said Iranian weapons have made their way into Hezbollah fighters' hands via Syria. And he expressed concern about how Hezbollah's operations inside Lebanon are affecting the fragile government there.

BUSH: Hezbollah's practice of hiding rockets in civilian neighborhoods and its efforts to undermine the democratically elected government have shown it to be no friend of Lebanon.

QUIJANO: He also reaffirmed Israel's right to defend itself, but once more urged caution. As civilian casualties mount, the U.S. is facing continuing pressure to push for an immediate cease-fire.

KOFI ANNAN, U.N. SECRETARY-GENERAL: I'm prepared to ask for immediate cessation of hostilities to allow us to assist the people, allow the diplomacy to take hold. And it does not exclude a longer- term solution and a longer-term package that would ensure that we do not return to the previous situation.

QUIJANO: But Secretary Rice made clear the U.S. will only support a cease-fire if Hezbollah and its supporters are dealt with first. To do that, veteran diplomats say Rice must forge consensus in the Arab world to curb the violence.

EDWARD WALKER, JR., FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO ISRAEL: She's got to get the Arab states to weigh in, particularly states like Saudi Arabia with Syria, places that have influence over the Syrian regime and can help convince the Syrians that they're going to be the losers, the long-term losers in this process if they don't rein in Hezbollah and pull the plug on Hezbollah arms supplies.

QUIJANO: And from his ranch, President Bush called the prime minister of Turkey to discuss the Mideast situation, focusing on the humanitarian needs of the Lebanese people, as well as Secretary Rice's trip to the region. The president will meet with Secretary Rice and key Saudi officials tomorrow when he returns to the White House -- Carol?

LIN: Elaine, thank you.

We want to ask our audience to stay with CNN for complete coverage of the crisis in the Middle East. At 8:00 p.m. Eastern, Anderson Cooper hosts "CNN PRESENTS" with an in-depth look at inside Hezbollah. At 9:00 p.m., "LARRY KING LIVE" has the latest on the crisis and diplomatic efforts. And then at 10:00 p.m., Anderson is back, Anderson Cooper live from the front lines in Beirut.

But in the meantime, fleeing in the danger zone. Thousands caught in the violence, and they finally find shelter. But what is going to wait for them? A live report at 14-after.

And last week, she was working on her doctorate. This week, a bride pays her way to safety. I'm going to talk live with an American family home from Beirut.

And tonight, a new group takes issue with Israel. Before the half-hour, was it really terrorist TV? You're watching CNN SATURDAY NIGHT. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: Among the most popular stories on CNN.com right now. Well, some 5,000 Israeli troops are on the Lebanese border. Hezbollah rockets targeted cities across northern Israel today. And Cyprus pleads for international assistance to handle the thousands of evacuees fleeing Lebanon. The foreign minister says as many as 25,000 evacuees have already arrived on the island, and he says that number is going to likely triple.

Now, inside Hezbollah, CNN's Anderson Cooper is going to take you inside Hezbollah, its weapons, its warriors and its mission. It's a special edition of "CNN PRESENTS" tonight at 8:00 p.m. Eastern.

You've seen the pictures, thousands of Americans and others fleeing Lebanon. The first stop on their long journey home, the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. And CNN's Chris Burns is in Limassol with more on that.

Chris, it's the middle of the night there, but what have you seen and heard?

CHRIS BURNS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Middle of the night, and a long night as well, Carol. Over my shoulder, the Ramah (ph). That is a U.S.-commissioned ferry boat that just arrived with some 800 people, most of them Americans, 100 Canadians as well. They've been passing from the ship across the street, as you can see. And in this building over here, it's about an aircraft hanger- size building. That's the departure hall. And over here is the arrival hall. Now, both halls are being used because so many people are passing through. Thousands.

In fact, there are two more U.S. ships. A warship, the would-be island that is going to be arriving in the next couple of hours, as well as the cruise ship The Orient Queen. That is going to be carrying another 1,000 Americans. And on the other side of this port, there are the British that are receiving another ship in the next hour or so.

It is constant. Ten ships overnight here, and as well as in Larnaca, Cyprus, which is about an hour and a half from here. So thousands arriving a day. And just this morning, there were 24,000 who had arrived since Monday. So just imagine that. It is increasing.

And the Americans anticipating even more people coming are opening up a route through Turkey, where the people will be shipped from Beirut, up to Turkey, and then flown out of Incirlik Air Base from there with U.S. military planes back to the state. SO this is far from over -- Carol?

LIN: Chris, are folks telling you that they've actually had to pay the cost of their transport? Because we're hearing that Americans are spending thousands of dollars to get out of Lebanon.

BURNS: Well, Carol, at this point, now the American government has said that people can be -- the American government will pay the price for that. It is easing the load on a lot of people, but at least in recent days, we had heard some Americans were trying to catch commercial planes as quickly as they could out of here. And that is what is costing thousands of dollars because these last-minute plane tickets, you can imagine, are costing a lot of money.

LIN: Chris, live in Limassol, Cyprus. Thank you very much.

Well, the State Department calls it the network of terrorists. And today, it was one of Israel's main targets. We're going to take a closer look at the al-Manar network, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: We are keeping close tabs on the Arab news networks and their broadcast of the Middle East crisis. And in some cases, the stations themselves are becoming part of the story. The Lebanon Broadcasting Network has come under fire from the Israeli military. And one of its employees died in today's attack. Two others injured.

But it's not the only network literally under the gun. Lebanon's al-Manar network, also known as Hezbollah television, was bombed a few days ago by Israel's military. Now, the Israelis say al-Manar is little more than a mouthpiece for a terrorist organization. CNN's Gary Nurenberg reports on this.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GARY NURENBERG, CNN CORRESPONDENT: The Israeli military said this weekend it targeted antennas north of Beirut used by the television network al-Manar.

MARK DUBOWITZ, COALITION AGAINST TERRORIST MEDIA: This network is all bad all the time.

NURENBERG: Al-Manar has been broadcasting since shortly after the first Gulf War in 1991.

DUBOWITZ: It's a terrorist organization masquerading as a media outlet. This is owned and operated by Hezbollah.

NURENBERG: Mark Dubowitz is with the coalition against terrorist media and has lobbied satellite systems to drop the network and American corporations to stop advertising there. Duglewitz cites this video showing images of suicide bombers.

DUBOWITZ: It glorifies is suicide bombing. It calls for murder. In a sense, it's done more than just yell "fire" in a crowded movie theater. It's providing the match, the gasoline and the arsonist.

NURENBERG: The United States government officially branded al- Manar a terrorist organization.

IBRAHIM MOUSAWI, CHIEF FOREIGN NEWS EDITOR, AL-MANAR TV): It's like that for the Americans. For tens of millions of Arabs, they give support and they believe this is the media outlet that supports because of the resistance over the freedom of liberation.

NURENBERG: When Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah survived a bombing attack earlier this week, he chose al-Manar to show the world he was alive and in charge. But the network denies it is Hezbollah TV.

MOUSAWI: Absolutely wrong. Absolutely wrong. Al-Manar has been associated with Hezbollah because it supported the resistance against the occupation in south Lebanon. It's no way the media outlet or the media war propaganda for Hezbollah.

NURENBERG: But the State Department has its own description of al-Manar television.

SEAN MCCORMACK, U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT: Hezbollah TV.

NURENBERG: Saturday's damage to the tower didn't knock al-Manar off the air completely. It's still seen on some satellite systems.

Gary Nurenberg, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: Bomb blasts, siren sounds. People live in fear. It is a deadly equation in Lebanon. We are going to take a look at how the situation is changing by the hour in a live report. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I want to be back. I want the killing from both sides of the fence to be stopped.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: A young bride waits and wonders her husband's fate in the hands of the enemy.

And while thousands flee Lebanon, we're going to talk to a group of people making their way in. What they're doing to help, and what you can do to make a difference. You're watching CNN LIVE SATURDAY.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

LIN: Welcome back. Our live coverage of the Middle East crisis continues. I'm Carol Lin at the CNN Center right here in Atlanta.

ROBERTS: I'm John Roberts in Haifa, Israel, where we hear volley after volley of outgoing artillery fire as the bombardment of Lebanon continues around the clock. We'll check on things on the other side of the border coming up in just a couple of minutes. But first, Carol's got the headlines from Atlanta.

LIN: That's right, John. It is 6:30 p.m. on the U.S. East coast and 1:30 in the morning in both Beirut and Jerusalem. And this is what we know this hour. Israeli strikes on northern Lebanese communications facilities killed a person. Meanwhile, the Israeli military confirms gaining a foothold in a southern Lebanese town. In all, 300 people have died in the fighting, and another 931 have been wounded.

John, back to you.

ROBERTS: Carol, thanks very much. An Israeli army spokesman today told me that Israel attacked 80 targets in Lebanon, much of that Hezbollah outposts and infrastructure, as well as some communications systems further north toward Beirut. Beirut has been in the cross- hairs of the Israeli Defense Forces since the beginning of this conflict.

Hezbollah is known to have a stronghold in the southern part of the city and we've seen the destruction there, but also, at the same time, thousands of evacuees from the southern part of the country are making their way north to the city's already strained resources. Nic Robertson is live in Beirut and he joins us now with the latest. Good evening, Nic.

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SR. INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good evening, John. For most of the day here, Beirut has been relatively quiet in terms of bombing. But, within the last few minutes two loud blasts have been heard from the center of Beirut here. It's very likely, it seems, the direction the bombs came down the southern suburbs, where Hezbollah does have its heartland of support. We also know today that north of Beirut, up in the mountains that run along the coast, six different television transmitter sites have been targeted, taking off the air the Lebanese Broadcasting Company, Future Television and Al Manar, the Hezbollah affiliated TV channel. Also, the cellular telephone network has been affected in the same areas as the transmitters have been hit and telephone land lines that often link through transmitter sites as well, they've also been damaged. Communications networks all to the north and east of Beirut, running along the mountains following the coastline in the south, along the Litani river, which is the river about 20 miles north of the Israeli border, a lot of people crossing over there today.

The bridges, of course, taken out by bombing a few days ago. Even the roads that were put in by the Lebanese to divert traffic around the bridges, they've been damaged as well. The traffic and the movement of people there, very slow, some 400,000 people live in that border area, missiles, shells, raining in on the area. It is emptying out. The people, not only flowing from south to north to get out of that border area, but also the roads congested by people coming from the north, back to the south to look for relatives to get them out of harm's way. The U.N. beginning to ramp up its effort to deal with the refugees that are collecting a lot, the people collecting in the poor town of Sidon, some of them even taking refuge in refugee camps belonging to the Palestinians, long-term camps here now taking in Lebanese as well. Hotels filling, schools filling as well, John.

ROBERTSON: Nic Robertson for us in Beirut tonight. Nic, thanks very much.

Of course, a week and a half ago this whole conflict started when two Israeli soldiers were kidnapped by Hezbollah guerrillas. We'll hear from family members of the soldiers coming up in just a couple of minutes. But first, let's go back to Carol in Atlanta, Carol.

LIN: Thanks very much, John. It is important to remember that two Israeli soldiers were kidnapped by Hezbollah. This is how it started. Though the firepower seems to be so much greater on Israel's side, Israel's point is that it is defending itself. Hezbollah demanding a prisoner release. So we want to find out what's going to happen next. You know, you take a look at the picture out of Israel today. You're looking at it, Israeli tanks and troops moving into Lebanon. They seized a town, Maroun Al Ras.

Let's go to one of our military analysts, one of our best, Major General Spider Marks. Spider, give us an idea of what we're seeing and what we're not seeing. We saw the move into southern Lebanon, some 5,000 Israeli troops massing along the border. The seizing of this Lebanese town and Christiane Amanpour, though, reporting that the Lebanese, excuse me, the Israeli army is pulling back a bit. So why now?

BRIG. GEN. JAMES "SPIDER" MARKS, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Well Carol, what you have with the Israeli army presently with the concentration of their up-armored capabilities along the border and that's along a pretty broad area along the border, just south of Lebanon, what that force is leaning forward and is prepared to go across the line of departure.

You won't physically see a withdrawal of those forces, but what you might see is them continuing to maintain the posture, to get ready to go across the border. You can only do that for so long. Those soldiers that are in those vehicles, they are ready to go across, and you can't keep them at that readiness level for too long or they'll lean too far forward and end up on their faces.

LIN: And you have to wonder what is waiting for them on the other side. I mean, Hezbollah has had six years to build up its positions, to plant it's mine fields.

MARKS: Sure.

LIN: So what waits for them once they cross that border it? What is the danger?

MARKS: Well, what the Israelis have done, Carol, is they've achieved a little bit of a finger, if you will, into what would ultimately be a buffer zone, when they took the town of Maroun Al Ras. Now, that's about a mile and a half into this buffer zone. That was done because it was a Hezbollah stronghold. It also gave the Israelis a rehearsal, if you will, of their capabilities in some large numbers to get across the border. So it was what's called a rehearsal or a wet fire, not a dry fire, but a wet fire of what's to come.

So the forces are massed, they're prepared to go across the border. They've already kind of loosened it up a little bit, if you will, by going across to Maroun Al Ras. Hezbollah has, as you have indicated Carol, six years to improve their fighting positions and to dominate that terrain. That's what they have, and that's what the Israeli will, we'll see when they come across, is Hezbollah fighters that understand and have lived this terrain for close to a quarter of a century, really.

LIN: Yes, so we'll look at the end game then. Israel wants, I think it's fair to say, two things. It's two Israeli soldiers returned safely and two, that the Lebanese government live up to its agreement and send the army to the south, occupy the south and route out Hezbollah. But when has pounding the life out of your enemy ever gotten anybody what they really wanted in the Middle East?

MARKS: Well, what Israel is trying to do and you've described it very well, is very precisely, let's narrow the discussion, they want their soldiers back, and they want Hezbollah reduced or eliminated as a fighting force. It remains a political entity in Lebanon. But the Lebanese government, this burgeoning democracy, has not demonstrated a capability to control Hezbollah and to keep it in harness, as they say. So Israel's going to do it. Israel is going to reduce those capabilities, and then at some point, after they've determined that the level of reduction is acceptable, they'll try to turn that over to some international force.

LIN: Isn't it ironic, because there has been discussion of the United Nations, for example, sending in international force in along the Gaza Strip, along the West Bank, right, to maintain security, to try to reduce the fighting in Israel. Israel refused to have a multinational force on its territory. It is having that expectation of the Lebanese government.

MARKS: Well, Carol, this is In Lebanon, so Israel will be there. They'll be the determinants whether this international force is going to be able to accomplish the tasks that they are designed to accomplish. And also, bear in mind for last 28 years, UNIFIL has been in place to prohibit or at least monitor what we're seeing right now and it has proven to be inept. So there is some incredible skepticism in terms of the application and the clarity of purpose and the results of an international force being deployed into that area.

LIN: Brigadier General Spider Marks, thank you so much for joining us tonight.

MARKS: Thanks, Carol.

LIN: In the meantime, the fighting is continuing. And John, a humanitarian crisis potentially forming in Lebanon, as well as Israel, as families are trying to flee the area.

ROBERTS: It's definitely a situation that's growing worse here, Carol. The seaside town of Nahariya saw 22 Hezbollah Katyusha rockets land there today. For one family the angst of trying to hide from the rockets is only compounded by the fact that their loved one is in the custody of Hezbollah. One of the soldiers who was kidnapped a week ago, touching off this crisis. Our Fionnuala Sweeney sat down with that family today.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FIONNUALA SWEENEY, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Karnit Goldwasser married her husband Udi just ten months ago.

KARNIT GOLDWASSER, HUSBAND CAPTURED BY HEZBOLLAH: He's the love of my life. We want to be married and want to have family and children, and I want them to dream.

SWEENEY: Udi was serving his last day of annual month-long military duty when he was captured more than a week ago. Nothing has been heard from him since.

GOLDWASSER: It will be hard for him, but he will manage, because he know that when he will be back, he will have me.

SWEENEY: Udi's parents spend every waking hour trying to find out whether their son is dead or alive.

SHLOMO GOLDWASSER, SON CAPTURED BY HEZBOLLAH: Everyone trying to get any information about his condition. And they have nothing.

MICKEY GOLDWASSER, SON CAPTURED BY HEZBOLLAH: I know only one thing, as a mother, I know that all mothers are suffering, all mothers want their sons back home.

SWEENEY: The Goldwassers say they don't know what kind of impact Israel's fierce military action in Lebanon will have on Udi's fate.

S. GOLDWASSER: Maybe if you will hit them more, they will be more willing to negotiate. Maybe the opposite. But we don't know. We don't know. We are not expert. We are just a family, a father and mother and a wife. We don't know.

K. GOLDWASSER: We know that we are waiting here and working here in Nahariya, seven miles from the border. And we are suffering, too. We are suffering here, in the hearts, because we are waiting for Udi. We are waiting to find a, prove that he's alive, maybe phone call, I don't know, a message, a signature. And we are suffering also because we are under a bomb attack.

SWEENEY: Not five minutes away from here, this apartment block was damaged by a Hezbollah missile strike a week ago. And now after a series of rocket attacks Nahariya is a ghost town. Its residents ordered to stay indoors. The beaches are deserted. The shops, closed. Nahariya looks and feels like a film set, without a camp. Not much is normal about Karnit's season either.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This was taken when?

K. GOLDWASSER: In the military reserves, 2003, November.

SWEENEY: July 2006 sees Karnit putting on a brave face before heading out to do another television interview.

K. GOLDWASSER: I want to be back. I want the killing from both side of the fence to be stopped. I want to raise children. I want to continue living my life in peace.

SWEENEY: Fionnuala Sweeney, CNN, Nahariya, Israel.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ROBERTS: And as we continue to hear Israeli fighter jets in the skies over Haifa this evening, the tragedy continues to mount on both sides. The Israelis report 34 people killed in military operations and from Hezbollah rockets. On the Lebanese side of the border more than 260 dead, Carol.

LIN: But at the same time John, we're remarkable stories about people who are, not only fleeing the war zone, but also staying to try to help. Left behind in the Middle East. You're going to hear from one woman who has been in Beirut for the last 48 hours, helping people.

And then, a different kind of family reunion. Ryan Burnett was among the first of the evacuees to get back home. I'm going to talk to him and his mother and sister. Be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PATRICK SNELL, CNN GOLF CORRESPONDENT: Tiger Woods' surge up the leader board Friday prompted many to believe this tournament was as good as over, but the world number one has been reeled in and goes into Sunday's final round, having failed to build on that one shot overnight advantage.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TIGER WOODS, PROFESSIONAL GOLFER: There's going to be a bunch of guys near the lead because it's kind of the way the golf course is. When you have four par 5s, where good a drives will leave your irons into the green, generally when that happens, on any tour event, you'll see a bunch on the leader board.

SERGIO GARCIA, PROFESSIONAL GOLFER: Still a long way to go. What I want to do, at least, is go out there and try to play well and hopefully do it and if not, you know, just learn from the experience.

CHRIS DIMARCO, PROFESSIONAL GOLFER: The way I played the front nine, I didn't play real good but I knew I was hitting the ball great. So I had just had to stay focused and I gave myself a chance. I mean, that's all I can do, give myself a chance.

WOODS: To have three three-puts and still have the lead is very positive, so very good positive, so hopefully tomorrow I can basically play like the way I did today and clean up my round on the greens.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SNELL: If Woods can stay clear of the pack, he'll become the first player since his fellow American Tom Watson back in '83 at Royal Birkdale to retain the famous Claret Jug. Watson, of course, has five British Open titles to his name. Woods could make it three come Sunday evening. Patrick Snell, CNN, Royal Liverpool Golf Club.

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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HISHAM MELHAM, AL-ARABIYA COMMENTATOR: You are dragging the Arab world into the abyss by making a decision that should be reserved to a sovereign state, decisions of war and peace. We are not going to go ...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LIN: Opinion from an Arab network. Now for the last 12 days, we have seen extreme suffering on both sides. Lebanese and Israelis living in fear. While this is an age-old conflict, a surprising outcome is what you just heard. Some in the Arab world backing away from Hezbollah's actions. So, while thousands try to leave the region, others are going in to help the civilians left behind. The true casualties of this crisis. Earlier, I spoke to Cassandra Nelson with MercyCorps. She spent the last 48 hours in Beirut, Lebanon. And I started by asking her to explain what she is seeing firsthand.

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CASSANDRA NELSON, MERCYCORPS: We are seeing small villages that are outside of the south of Beirut that right now are absorbing a massive population shift, as these people are seeking refuge in safer ground. A number of villages that we're working in have populations that have increased by over ten times the size that they were two weeks ago. Villages that had 5,000 people now have 50,000 people. They don't have enough water. In many cases the city reservoir has run dry. That means they can't flush their toilets, they can't bathe. We're looking at a possibility of a real sanitation and health problems in just a few days.

LIN: Basic supplies, you've been able to get to at least some of the people out there, can you tell us what you were able to deliver and how difficult was it to get to the village?

NELSON: Well, getting there has not been an issue. It is about a 40-minute drive outside of Beirut. And again, we are addressing the needs of people that have moved out of the bombing areas and into safe areas. SO, we're working with the displaced populations. So getting to them has not been so difficult because we are targeted areas that are considered safe areas.

What we have not been able to do is to get to the people who are still stuck in these areas that are being bombarded. Those are the areas unreachable, the bridges are out, and there's a bombing still going on so we cannot safely move into the areas. But the areas that we have been able to reach we've been delivering food supplies initially. Because those are one of the most requested things. People have come into the areas without money, without resources and in most cases the shops don't have anything on the shelves even for them to buy if they had money.

LIN: That's right.

NELSON: We're bringing in basic food items for about, for the populations that we can serve, everything from pastas and rices and just your basic food items so they can eat basically for the next week to get them through this initial period, and then we'll expand our operations as the situation evolves.

LIN: Israel has said that it is allowing safe passage for aid organizations to get to the most remote areas, but you're finding that not to be true.

NELSON: No, we have not received any word on in terms of moving internally within Lebanon about how we can move about safely. There is the corridor that has been established for boats to bring things into Sudan Port but the question remains, once it gets to that port, how does it get to the people that are in need, and that is something that we have not been able to get clarity on yet.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LIN: We get so many questions from our viewers about ways that you want to help, so let us give you some information here. Here are some websites that you can use to help civilians both on both sides of this conflict. Just look at the screen for the website to AmeriCares, Habitat and MercyCorps and Unicef. Now take a look at this. We're going to reunite this family, Ryan on the left was stuck in Lebanon. His family desperately waiting for word right here at home. You're going to meet the Burnette family and hear their remarkable story. We'll be right back.

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LIN: Out of the danger zone, the first group of American evacuees from Lebanon, about 150, arrived in Baltimore Thursday. U.S. officials say about 8,000 more Americans would be evacuated from Lebanon by tomorrow night. Ryan Burnette is one of the first ones back, a student taking courses in Lebanon this summer is in Washington, and joining me from Kentucky, his mother, Barbara, and his brother Sean, whom he hasn't seen since he's been back. So good to reunite the Burnette family here. Ryan, let me start with you. You were studying Arabic at the American Universe in Beirut.

RYAN BURNETTE, EVACUATED FROM LEBANON: Yes.

LIN: All right, so, the fighting begins. What word did you hear about the fighting and when did you realize you might be in danger?

R. BURNETTE: I first heard about the two soldiers being kidnapped and I decided it was probably going to be a good time to get out, and then the airport was bombed that next morning so I didn't have a chance to get out with my tickets Friday morning.

LIN: Right, and Sean, you actually saw the news about the airport bombing on television, right?

SEAN BURNETTE, BROTHER OF EVACUEE: Yes, I did.

LIN: So, you must have realized that your brother was not going to be able to get out of Beirut much more easily than anybody else. Mrs. Burnette, were you, as this mother waiting for word from your son, it must have been agonizing.

BARBARA BURNETTE, MOTHER OF EVACUEE: It was frantic. I was able to speak with him online early in the situation. And it was a long week, but I had a war room, so to speak, at my house. I had dear friends and family staying with me 24 hours a day, and we were monitoring the computer and the phone.

LIN: Ryan, you knew that your mother was just terrified for you, so, did you register with the U.S. embassy? Because we've heard about nothing but problems with that process.

R. BURNETTE: Well, I registered before I even went. You can go on the website and register ahead of time, before you even take your trip, so I had already registered being in the country.

LIN: You were actually staying with some Lebanese students, is that right?

R. BURNETTE: We were actually in an apartment complex. There was not enough dorms on campus so there were several students in the program, and then others students and then other people inside the apartment building.

LIN: Did you ever think you might not get out and boy, as an American, learning to speak Arabic, I would think that would come in pretty handy.

R. BURNETTE: Well, I had not learned enough for it to really come in handy. I'm still beginning.

LIN: Probably help, get me out, where is the U.S. embassy.

R. BURNETTE: It did help. Actually, what helped the most was just the e-mails saying to stay inside. We kind of laid low and just waited for word.

LIN: How did you get out, on what boat were you out or were you able to fly out from somewhere else?

R. BURNETTE: I was actually helicopter evaced from the embassy. I rode a helicopter to Cyprus.

LIN: Boy, big brother, you're going to have some stories to tell. Sean, you look up to this guy? Is he your hero?

S. BURNETTE: He's a big role model for me.

LIN: Are you just going to give him grief when he gets home?

S. BURNETTE: Big grief, then big hugs.

LIN: Yes, I bet. And Mrs. Burnette I bet you're going to take Ryan's passport away from him for awhile, aren't you.

B. BURNETTE: I believe I am. I think he's going to have to stay by my side for at least a few days. I, of course, will support him as any parent would, whatever his career choices are, but --

LIN: Career choices, do you think you might go into the diplomatic service, Ryan or something overseas?

R. BURNETTE: My masters is in international security with the Middle East, so it's kind of, that's the route I'm hoping to take.

LIN: Perhaps international insecurity these days. An interesting path and certainly a job waiting for you down the road somewhere. Ryan Burnette, Barbara Burnette, Sean Burnette, good luck to you. I hope you all get together in person real soon. Thank you for joining me by satellite.

B. BURNETTE: Thank you.

R. BURNETTE: Thank you.

S. BURNETTE: Thank you.

LIN: All right, what a terrific family. There is lots more ahead on CNN tonight. Up next at 7:00 Eastern, "THIS WEEK AT WAR" and then at 8:00, an all new "CNN PRESENTS." Join us as we take you inside Hezbollah, its weapon, its warriors and its mission. And then at 9:00 a special live edition of LARRY KING on the escalating crisis in the Middle East, and at 10:00 Eastern, a complete wrapup of the cries this the Middle East with a special weekend edition of "ANDERSON COOPER 360" live from Beirut. A check of the hour's headlines in three minutes.

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LIN: "THIS WEEK AT WAR" is coming up in just a moment. But first look at what's happening right now in the news.

Dozens more Hezbollah rockets hit northern Israel today and at least two people were injured. And across the border in Lebanon, one person was killed in Israeli air strikes on television and phone towers.

A draft resolution on Iran's nuclear program has hit a stumbling block. U.N. diplomats say Moscow is now refusing to endorse a key part of the measure, the provision demands Iran freeze Uranium enrichment or face sanctions.

Crews in St. Louis are working to restore some power to 400,000 homes and businesses. Two big storms and blazing hot temperatures knocked utilities offline.

Later tonight, CNN presents "Inside Hezbollah." Anderson Cooper takes you inside the terrorist organization for an in-depth look at its fighters, weapons and its mission. That's tonight at 8:00 Eastern.

I'm Carol Lin at CNN's world headquarters in Atlanta. Now, "THIS WEEK AT WAR" with John Roberts.

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