Search JTA's historical archive dating back to 1923

Israel Warplanes Blast Arab Terrorist Bases on Slopes of Mt. Hermon in Lebanon

August 12, 1969
See Original Daily Bulletin From This Date
Advertisement

Israeli jets went into action for the second time in 12 hours today. Their target was a heavily wooded area on the southwest slopes of Mt. Hermon in Lebanon where Arab guerrilla bands are believed to have concentrated in recent weeks. All the planes returned safely to their bases.

A military spokesman said the attack was launched at noon and lasted 30 minutes. It was the second time Israeli jets struck at targets in Lebanon since the June, 1967 Six-Day War. The previous attack was made on the same area July 30. A Lebanese spokesman in Beirut claimed today that the Israeli jets struck in and around the Arquoh area 60 miles south of the capital. He said a number of persons were injured, some seriously.

Israeli sources said the area hit contained seven guerrilla bases set up by El Fatah, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and the Syrian-sponsored El Saiqua commandos. They have been in the area since the end of 1968 and according to Israeli reports were responsible for at least 21 incidents of terror and sabotage during the past month.

Yesterday, Israeli jets struck Jordanian Army camps and military emplacements in the northern Jordan Valley and damaged the Ghor irrigation canal. That raid was in reprisal for increasing Jordanian attacks on Israeli settlements and military units in the Beisan Valley.

CURFEW IMPOSED ON TOWN OF HEBRON AFTER GRENADE ATTACK ON TRUCK

Cairo radio reported that Israeli and Egyptian forces exchanged heavy artillery fire along the Suez Canal for three hours today.

In other developments, eight Israelis were injured this morning when a hand grenade was thrown into a passenger-carrying truck in Hebron. A curfew was imposed on the town immediately after the incident. Four of the injured were hospitalized but only one of them was reported to be seriously hurt.

Two Israeli soldiers were injured today when they stepped on a mine in the Mt. Hermon area of the Golan Heights. The soldiers were investigating an Army vehicle that hit a mine earlier.

Two Arab saboteurs were killed last night in an encounter with an Israeli patrol near the Abdallah bridge in the southern Jordan Valley. The patrol suffered no casualties.

A former member of the Jordanian senate living in Hebron was deported to Jordan today on orders from the military governor of the Judaea and Samaria districts. The deportee, Rashid el Khatib Tamimi, 60, was charged with having maintained frequent contact with Arab terrorist organizations and with participation in terrorist acts. He was sent to Jordan by way of the Allenby bridge. Mr. Tamimi is a brother of Anwar el Khatib, the former mayor of East Jerusalem. His son was arrested a month ago for transporting arms in his car near Hebron.

Recommended from JTA

Advertisement