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During the 1982-2000 South Lebanon conflict Hezbollah waged a guerrilla campaign against Israeli forces occupying Southern Lebanon. It ended with Israeli withdrawal in accordance with 1978's United Nations Security Council Resolution 425 [1]. Given that prior Israeli wars were characterized by either Israeli victory or UN-enforced ceasefire, this is often regarded as a success of Hezbollah, which was able to extend its control of Southern Lebanon.
[edit] Summary
South Lebanon, also called Israeli Security Zone, was occupied by Israel between 1982 and 2000. Hezbollah, along with the mainly leftist and secular groups in the Lebanese National Resistance Front, fought a guerilla war against Israel and the Israeli proxy South Lebanon Army. The National Resistance Front militias disarmed in accordance with the Taif agreement, but Hezbollah remained defiant, claiming until all Lebanese soil was liberated and Israel expelled, resistance against military occupation would continue. They had become by far the largest and most powerful and effective of the resistance organizations.
The fighting culminated during Operation Grapes of Wrath in April 1996 when Israel launched an assault and air-campaign against Hezbollah. The campaign failed and resulted in the Israelis killing more than 150 civilians and refugees in the shelling of a United Nations base at Qana.
On 30 May, two staggered road-side bombs killed four Israeli soldiers and injured several others at Marjayoun, where IDF had their headquarters in southern Lebanon. On 10 June, all 13 members of an Israeli patrol north of the Litani river were killed or wounded in an ambush by the Hezbollah. In retaliatory fire after the 10 June incident, Israeli artillery killed one Lebanese Army soldier and wounded one civilian.
[edit] 2000, retreat
In January 2000, Hezbollah assassinated the commander of the South Lebanon Army's Western Brigade, Colonel Aql Hashem, at his home in the security zone. Hashem had been responsible for day to day operations of the SLA.[1]
On 24 May "after the collapse of the SLA and the rapid advance of Hezbollah forces, Israel announced that it would withdraw its troops from southern Lebanon and completed its withdrawal the next day, more than six weeks before its stated deadline of 7 July."[2] This was widely considered a victory for Hezbollah and boosted its popularity hugely in Lebanon.
Israel considered this move as tactical since it always regarded the Security Zone as a buffer zone only to defend Israel's citizens. Hezbollah often claimed that its goal is the destruction of all Israel[2] and by Hezbollah losing the "excuse" of "occupation", Israel could gain the upper-hand per international support.
[edit] Aftermath
Billboard in Southern Lebanon depicting Hezbollah martyrs
The tentative peace, resulting from the withdrawal, lasted for years. However, the Israeli Air Force continuously invaded the Lebanese airspace while Hezbollah launched rocket attacks against Israel.
In July 2006, Israel began another military assault on South Lebanon in response to Hezbollah rocket attacks against Israel proper and the kidnapping of two of its soldiers and the killing of eight others.[3]
- See also: 2006 Israel-Lebanon Conflict
[edit] Israeli operations
- ^ http://www.asylumlaw.org/docs/lebanon/ind01b_lebanon_ca.pdf
- ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/country_profiles/819200.stm
- ^ See:
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