–Israel Air Force planes bombed four terrorist targets in south Lebanon this afternoon in response to the overnight shelling by Palestine Liberation Organization units of the northern Israeli towns of Kiryat Shemona and Metullah. All Israeli planes returned safely, a military spokesman announced. The pilots’ reports indicated accurate hits.
The four targets were bases and facilities operated by El Fatah and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, two components of the PLO. One of them was in the Nabatiya area and according to the Army Radio, it was the source of the firing at Kiryat Shemona. The other targets were in the vicinities of the seaside cities of Sidon and Tyre and at the Zaharani River estuary. These areas are in the full control of the PLO.
TERRORISTS INJURE SEVEN PEOPLE
Four children and three adults were injured in Kiryat Shemona, most of them only slightly. Some electric power lines were knocked down in Metullah and other damage was done but there were no injuries. An army spokesman said Israeli artillery opened fire on the source of the rocket attacks.
The attacks followed a heavy artillery exchange between Palestinian terrorists in south Lebanon and Maj. Saad Haddad’s Christian forces yesterday. That duel was apparently triggered by the opening of a new short wave radio station by Hadad called “Voice of Free Lebanon.” It is financed by the High Enterprise Christian Foundation, an American evangelical group based on the U.S. West Coast. Hadded inaugurated the station with a threat to wipe out the terrorist held Lebanese coastal towns of Sidon and Tyre if Palestinian forces continue to attack his men.
Deputy Defense Minister Mordechai Zipori told the Army Radio that the bombing was in direct response to the “brutal and indiscriminate shelling of civilian targets in Kiryat Shemona.” He said Israel’s policy of initiating attacks on terrorist bases would continue but such brutal shelling could not be allowed to pass without an immediate response even though the initiative in this episode had been the PLO’s.
Zipori cited President Reagan’s statement that terrorism must be forcefully countered. He said Israel would use every means at its disposal to hit the PLO. “We don’t have arms to lie unused in our arsenals,” Zipori said.
Israel last bombed south Lebanon targets a month ago. On that occasion a dogfight developed with Syrian MIGs. This time the skies were clear except for ineffective anti-aircraft fire from PLO batteries.
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