Israel’s casualties in 20 days of fighting in Lebanon amount to 269 soldiers killed and 1255 wounded, a military spokesman announced yesterday. The figures cover the period from June 6, when the Israeli invasion of Lebanon began, through June 26 — last Saturday night — when one soldier was killed and two were seriously wounded after their vehicle came under fire east of Damour.
But Defense Minister Ariel Sharon gave slightly higher figures in the course of today’s Knesset debate on the war in Lebanon (see separate story). He said Israel’s casualties stood at 271 dead, II missing and 1470 wounded. Of the latter, 69 were gravely wounded and 271 sustained moderate wounds.
Israel continued to observe the cease-fire around Beirut today. The Air Force dropped leaflets over the city urging civilians to leave west Beirut and take refuge in the Israeli or Christian-held areas of the city and its outskirts. No military activity was reported as of noon. The Israel army continued mopping up operations south and east of the Lebanese capital, searching for Palestinian or Syrian army stragglers. The army said it was discovering new terrorist arms caches daily.
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