Lisraeli Killed. 2 Wounded During Artillery Duel Between Palestinians and Christians in South Lebano

— An Israeli army major was killed yesterday and a lieutenant and a private were wounded when they were caught in the crossfire of an artillery and rocket duel between Palestinian and Christian forces in south Lebanon. A civilian resident of Upper Galilee was wounded by terrorist rocket fire and residents of Galilee settlements were forced to spend last night in bomb shelters. No other casualties or damage were reported.

Meanwhile, Israel Air Force jets bombed terrorist targets in Nabatiya village and the nearby Beaufort Castle in south Lebanon yesterday and returned safely to their bases, a military spokesman announced. Army sources said the air raid was a continuation of Israel’s policy of striking terrorist targets at will and was not in retaliation for the death of the major whose name was not immediately disclosed.

He and the others came under fire while searching for mines planted by Palestinian terrorists near the Christian village of Marjayoun. Three of Maj. Saad Haddad’s Christian militiamen were killed by a mine and the Israelis were summoned to help detect them. At the same time, Haddad responded by shelling the terrorist-held port of Tyre and the Palestinians replied with Katyusha rocket fire into the Christinians enclave and Upper Galilee.

In another development, Premier Menachem Begin, in his capacity as Defense Minister, met today Gen. William Callaghan, commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). Callaghan told reporters later that they had a “good and friendly conversation” but declined to give details. Begin recently ordered the army to try to protect the safety of UNIFIL soldiers and passed a similar message to Haddad. Begin also met today with various ministers and army officers to discuss the situation in south Lebanon and northern Israel.