Israel At war: Day 9 of Exclusive Coverage

(Note: this post will be continuously updated with breaking news and commentary)
- Two helicopters collided near the Lebanese border, 1 dead, 4 injured
- More special forces battles along the northern border, 4 paratroopers wounded
- 2 KIA's 9 more soldiers wounded in heavy fighting in the north, 30-40 terrorists killed
-rockets still landing in north and south, but less than other days
- The House overwhelmingly passed a pro Israel resolution
- Nasrallah alive, issues more threats

11:00 PM EST: Update on the Apache helicopter collision. One soldier has now died from his injuries. Here is a good roundup of some of the days events from INN.

9:40 PM EST: Many people don’t realize that there is a third front here that is the more dangerous than Gaza and Lebanon. The terrorist occupants of Judea and Samaria are threatening to launch rockets on Israel. Keep in mind that they are in the heart of Israel and can easily hit every major city with short range rockets.
Here is what the 2nd in command of Al Aksa Martyrs Brigade (Abbas’s terrorist group that is based in Damascus) told WND. "I admitt that it is quite humerous the way these guys talk.
“For the moment we see that Hezbollah is winning, but if – Allah forbid – there is a turnover in the war, we will not hesitate to carry out the plans we have been working on since [the cease-fire signed last February]. We will use rockets. We will target Tel Aviv airport. We will not abandon our brothers,” said Abu Nasser, speaking to WND from Nablus in northern Samaria. Read the whole article here.

7:15 PM EST: Haaretz is now reporting that there are thousands of Israeli soldiers operating inside of southern Lebanon. They are the only ones reporting it and it is not confirmed by the IDF.

Also, I just saw NBC news with Brian Williams and their coverage was sickening. They didn't report on most of the big stories that we have reported on. They didn't mention that 2 British reporters were kidnapped for a few hour because that would make their Hizbollah friends look bad. They didn't report on the fact that the Lebanese gov't said they would join forces with Hizbollah of invaded.

They trashed Israel with vicious lies but declined to mention the Rassmusen polls that they so often quote which showed overwhelming support for Israel amongst Americans. They failed to report on the Congressional resolution which passed 410-8. They lied by saying that Bush is now showing Israel the "yellow light" eventhough they support Israel more than ever, with John Bolton declaring, "how can anyone make a cease fire with terrorists". These liberal reporters are nothing but unAmerican verminous scum.

6:00 PM EST: Here is some bad news. It has now been released for publication that there were two KIA's among the casualties in the battle of Avivim. Also, two helicopters crashed near Kiryat Shemona resulting in casualtie. Update: The two helicopters collided with each other resulting in 4 injuries.

5:15 PM EST: We have been reporting about a major counter terror operation in Nablus in which 200 terrorists, mainly from Hamas and Al Aksa were arrested. It is now released for publication that several of them were Hizbollah operatives. This means that they are working inside of Israel and are in close cooperation with the Sunni Palestinian terrorists.

5:00 PM EST: Unfortunately, Nasrallah just resurfaced on terrorist TV. He claimed that nobody was killed. However, IDF officials have estimated that 30-40 Hizbollah terrorists were killed in the heavy battles at the border. The media is only focusing on 8-10 Israelis wounded.

2:15 PM EST: There are a few more details in regard to the fierce battle in the north. 9 wounded soldiers were evacuated under very tough and intense fighting. One was seriously injured. Also, Israeli aircraft were engaged in that battle by bombing some of the bunkers close to the Israeli border.

In other news, Rasmussen just came out with a poll of American opinion regarding the war. They report that 56% of Americans blame Hizbollah for the conflict, 18% blame the Lebanese Gov't, and 12% blame Israel. They also revealed these details: "A plurality of 46% say protecting Israel's right to exist is more important than securing an immediate ceasefire. Again, men (55%) and Republicans (62%) are more likely than women (37%) and Democrats (36%) to say protecting Israel should be the priority." This coincides with a Gallup poll several months ago that reported that conservatives supported Israel over the Palestinians by a 78-7 margin while the liberals do only by a 43-23 margin. Go figure.

1:15 PM EST: BREAKING: News agencies are reporting that Hizbollah has kidnapped two foreign journalists. Details are scarce... Update: YNet is reporting that they were British and were just released by Lebanese police.

1:00 PM EST: Fighting is still raging near Avivim. Al Manar terrorist TV is claiming that they disabled two tanks and captured some Israeli equipment left on the battlefield. We have been reporting 8 wounded IDF and 3 Hizbollah killed, but it is still very murky as to the specific details of casualties for obvious reasons.

On the diplomatic front: Kofi Anan just condemned Israel again before the Criminal Council of the UN. John Bolton and Israeli Ambass. Gillerman were quick to strike back. Bolton said, "but still no one has explained how you conduct a cease-fire with a group of terrorists."

12:30 PM EST: The House just voted 410-8 in favor of the pro Israel resolution. The roll call is here. 7 out of 8 of the nays were Democrats. The one Republican Ron Paul (R- Tx), always votes against any foreign affairs resolution no matter who it supports so his vote is not indicative of an anti Israel stance. The 7 Dems on the other hand, are the same old Israel bashers. Its interesting to note thet Jim Moran, (Jihadi-Va) after all his anti Israel remarks wound up voting for it in the end. I'm wondering what his motivation was? The full text of the resolution can be viewed here.

11:30 AM EST: There is still a ground battle under way in the Israeli border town of Avivim. One terrorist was just killed, and an Israeli soldier injured. Update: 8 Soldiers reported seriously injured in addition to the four from this morning. 3 Hizbollah punks were now sent to Allah.

11:00 AM EST: Rockets are now falling again on the Galilee. So far they have all landed in open areas. About 40 rockets fired today with no casualties. I'm wondering if this means that they have been weakened. Also, the Lebanese Minister of Defense warned Israel Thursday that if IDF ground forces are sent into southern Lebanon, Lebanese troops will fight along with the Hizbullah against Israel. The funny thing is that they already are.

10:15 AM EST: Thankfully, it is quiet for now so I will report on a Tom Delay interview. Late last night, former House Majority Leader Tom Delay was on Israel National Radio with Tovia Singer to speak about the war. He categorically stated that "the peace process is a sham". In regard to the Gaza expulsion last year, he said that he had previously warned that "pulling out is not the answer". "They said [the Israeli Gov't] it cost too much to protect the Jews in Gaza, well hello! go in their and clean out those that want to kill Jews".

In regard to US support he said that its not enough to morally support them, but we must be an active "partner" with them by openly supplying weapons. When asked about Condi Rice's planned visit to Israel he said, "I am very concerned, who is she going to meet with? Hamas? Leaders who are weak on Hizbollah?" "I demand that she openly stand with the Israeli PM and detail all of the things that we are openly doing in partnership with Israel so the Iranians will get the message that if you mess with Israel, you mess with us."

Also, another conservative icon, Ann Coulter weighed in on the war in her weekly column. "Some have argued that Israel's response is disproportionate, which is actually correct: It wasn't nearly strong enough. I know this because there are parts of South Lebanon still standing."

8:30 AM EST: Yesterday, we reported that the Israeli Defense Minister ordered a closure on the West Bank. Debka File is now reporting that Israel was acting on a Jordanian intelligence tip that Hamas operatives in Jordan plan to cross into Israel and coordinate attacks while Hizbollah is attacking in the north. This is another indication that the IDF is continuing it's extensive operations inside the West Bank, a third front that is largely ignored by the media. I think that any media blackout is a good thing.

In regard to the Lebanese "American" evacuees, the first batch of them have arrived several hours ago in my home state of Maryland. I must say that I am very concerned that not only did we have to pay for their trips, but we also had to tie up much of our navy to assist them. These were people who traveled there on their own will, knowing quite well that it has always been a dangerous place that the State Dep't advised not to visit.

But there is a more troubling aspect to this. Several days ago, we linked to the now famous Debbie Schlussel column detailing that most of these evacuees are in fact Shiite Muslims who sympathies with Hizbollah. They wanted to be in Lebanon and now that the going gets rough they leave their terrorist brother stranded! Anyway, in light of the fact that Hizbollah is threatening our shores and the FBI is suspecting that there are Hizbollah cells in this country, wouldn't it make sense to do background checks on every passengers? After all, who else are we suspecting of working for Hizbollah if not for these people? Instead they are being subsidized with our tax dollars and being let free to roam the country.

On the diplomatic front: Israeli officials have said that their relations with Spain were damaged after the socialist PM Zapatero virulently assailed Israel's right to defend themselves.

8:00 AM EST: So far so good. Several rockets have fallen in the north during the last hour, but no casualties were reported. Sirens have gone off in Haifa several times, however, no rockets have landed so far. Meanwhile, in the south, the IAF has destroyed a rocket launcher in Gaza, thwarting another attack.

6:30 Am EST: Warning sirens are going off in Safed and Nahariya as the rocket attacks are commencing.

Also, Internal Security Minister and former Shin Bet chief have commenced in Carmiel and Tiberias during the last hour but luckily, no injuries were incurred. There was a small fire in Kiryat Shemona as a result of a rocket impaction. Meanwhile, more kassams are hitting the south; one caused significant damage last night in central Sderot. Update: One more just landed in Sderot, a resident is being treated for shock.

In military news, 4 more soldiers were injured today in heavy clashes with Hizbollah near the border. On the western part of the northern border, the IDF destroyed 3 rocket launchers but one paratrooper was seriously wounded by a Hizbollah sniper shot to the head. Three others were moderately wounded when their tank was hit with an anti-tank missile on the eastern part of the border near Avivim, the very same place where they clashed with Hizbolah fighters yesterday. Two Hizbollah fighters were killed during the battle in the western part of the border. Hizbollah is now feared to have extensive bunker networks near the border that are full of fighters and weapons.

In regard to Israel's air strike yesterday on the bunker that housed the Hizbollah leadership, it is still not confirmed if anyone was killed. Al Manar terrorist TV is claiming that Nasrallah survived. DEBKAfile reports the Shiite terrorist group has appointed an alternative leadership whose members are scattered across Lebanon outside Beirut, to prevent Hizballah falling apart if Nasrallah goes - as it did when Israel killed his predecessor, Abbas Moussaoui.