ISRAELI aircraft and tanks unleashed a blitz in south Lebanon yesterday after a deadline for civilians to flee expired. Israeli helicopters also struck at a Syrian position in Beirut's southern suburbs.
Thousands of people fled southern villages hours before rocket-firing Israeli jets and helicopter gunships launched at least raids on villages and roads leading to them.
There was no immediate report on casualties in the assaults which hit areas controlled by the pro-Iranian Hizbullah (Party of God), fighting to oust Israeli troops from south Lebanon - the last active Arab-Israeli frontline.
Before attacking, Israel's South Lebanon Army (SLA) militia said Israeli aircraft would bombard 49 southern towns and villages toe avenge Hizbullah rocket attacks on northern Israel. It later extended the period of assault.
Hours earlier, Israeli helicopters struck twice at a Syrian antiaircraft position in Beirut's Shia Muslim southern suburbs, a Hizbullah bastion. Hospital officials said at least 12 soldiers and civilians were wounded.
Lebanese security sources said eight civilians were killed and eight wounded earlier yesterday in Israeli artillery shelling of the southern end of the eastern Bekaa Valley, bringing the total casualties in Israel's two-day assault to 12 dead and 35 wounded.
After the threat to launch air strikes on the villages, streams of refugees poured from their villages in scenes reminiscent of July 1993 when Israel responded to Hizbullah guerrilla attacks with a week-long blitz of south Lebanon.
Syria said an Israeli helicopter had attacked one of its positions in Beirut. A military spokesman said: "Units of air defences present in the area confronted the enemy helicopters and forced them to flee. . . Due to the enemy shelling, one soldier was martyred and seven others were seriously wounded."
Lebanon's Prime Minister, Mr Rafik al-Hariri, said a Lebanese soldier was also killed in the attack, which he said was deliberate. Witnesses said helicopters fired up to nine rockets in two strikes at a Syrian anti-aircraft position close to a mosque.
Israel denied it was targeting the Syrian army.
An Israeli army spokesman, Mr Sharon Grinker, said: "Israel has no interest to attack any Syrians. Helicopters attacked a Hizbullah targets in Beirut. After anti-aircraft weapons were fired at them, they returned fire, hitting the source of the firing."