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Israel blasts its way into Lebanon
By Lin Noueihed Sat Jul 22, 7:19 PM ET
Israel bombed Hizbollah's stronghold in Beirut and a south Lebanon city early on Sunday, hours after seizing a strategic Lebanese frontier village.
At least two explosions echoed across Beirut as jets roared over the southern suburbs. Strikes were also reported in the southern port city of Sidon, wounding three people.
Israel's 12-day-old onslaught in Lebanon to cripple Hizbollah guerillas has claimed 355 lives, mostly civilians. Hizbollah attacks and rockets have killed 34 Israelis.
An Israeli military general said soldiers took control on Saturday of Maroun al-Ras, a hilltop village overlooking both sides of the border, where six Israeli commandos have been killed in heavy fighting this week.
Israel said it planned no full-scale invasion of Lebanon for now, but warned villagers near the border to leave.
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Israeli forces had urged residents of 14 villages in south Lebanon to leave ahead of more air raids.
"Do you know where we should go? Which roads are safe?" asked a veiled woman in the back of a white Mercedes crammed with people fleeing from the border village of Tallousi.