Fierce fighting reported close to Israeli border
Fierce fighting has been reported close to the Israeli border and more than a hundred Lebanese prisoners have been freed from the notorious Khiam prison after a crowd stormed the building. Meanwhile, the Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Barak, has announced that his country's troops will end their occupation of southern Lebanon within days, more than a month ahead of schedule.
Earlier today, Hezbollah guerrillas warned that they would continue their campaign of armed resistance against Israel until it releases Lebanese prisoners and withdraws from the Shebaa region of the Lebanon. At a press conference in Beirut, the leader of the Shiite Muslim Hezbollah warned the Northern Israelis to remain in their bomb shelters over the next few days.
Almost two thirds of Israel's South Lebanese security zone is now reported to be in Lebanese hands. Units of a pro-Israeli militia, the South Lebanon Army, are continuing to desert their posts and it is expected that the Israeli military withdrawal will be completed in a matter of days. It has been reported that more than a hundred Lebanese prisoners at Khiam were released after a crowd stormed the prison. Hundreds of Christian villagers and members of the South Lebanese Army, the Israeli backed militia, are fleeing towards the Israeli border to escape an advance by Hezbollah guerrillas.
The Israeli army withdrew more of its forces from south Lebanon overnight. The Israeli cabinet held a meeting late last night, which approved giving Prime Minister Ehud Barak the authority to speed up the pull-out in advance of a July deadline. Mr Barak has said the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Lebanon, should be completed within a few days. The pullout was due to be completed by early July.
An Israeli government spokesman, Moshe Fogel, has warned Hizbollah not to try to exploit the situation. The United Nations has said it has plans to double its peace-keeping force in the zone to help the Lebanese authorities retake control of the area.
