Sirens wail across Israel in huge defence drill

Lebanese army fires on Israeli warplanes: military
Beirut (AFP) May 26, 2010 - Lebanese anti-aircraft guns opened fire on two Israeli warplanes that were violating Lebanon's airspace on Wednesday, a military statement said. "The anti-aircraft batteries fired in the direction of Israeli warplanes that flew over" the Shebaa region of southern Lebanon at medium altitude, the statement said. Earlier in the day, two aircraft flew over southern and northern Lebanon before returning to Israeli territory, it said. While Lebanon's army publishes almost daily reports of Israeli violations of Lebanese airspace, the military rarely opens fire unless the planes fly within range of its guns.

The overflights are a violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended a devastating 2006 war between Israel and Lebanon's Shiite Hezbollah militia. Israel argues that the overflights are necessary, despite the resolution, to monitor what it says is massive arms smuggling by Hezbollah, also in breach of the same resolution. Last month Israeli President Shimon Peres accused Syria of providing Scud missiles to Hezbollah, which Israel alleges has stockpiled more than 40,000 rockets, some capable of reaching large towns in Israel. Damascus has rejected the allegation but the armed Hezbollah which controls southern Lebanon has neither confirmed nor denied it.

by Staff Writers
Jerusalem (AFP) May 26, 2010
Air raid sirens wailed across Israel on Wednesday at the peak of a five-day civil defence exercise to test the Jewish state's defences in the event of war, the army said.

The sirens sounded at 11:00 am (0800 GMT) for 90 seconds, sending civilians across the country into their nearest bomb shelter or protected space where they waited for 10 minutes until the all-clear.

Radio stations broadcast a pre-recorded message saying the siren was part of a drill but asking people to go down to the shelters.

Motorists, however, were not expected to participate in the nationwide exercise, dubbed Turning Point 4, which kicked off on Sunday with the aim of preparing the country for any future rocket attack from Gaza, Lebanon or Syria.

But Israel has sought to reassure neighbouring Lebanon and Syria that the five-day exercise, which ends on Thursday, is not hostile.

"This is a routine exercise which has been scheduled for a long time and is not the result of any unusual security development," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said as the annual exercise began on Sunday.

"Israel seeks calm, stability and peace but it is no secret that we live in a region where there is a threat from missiles and rockets," he added.

It is the fourth such drill held since a 2006 war with Lebanon's Hezbollah militia and aims to fine-tune emergency procedures in the event of a new rocket barrage against the Jewish state.

During the Lebanon war, some 300,000 Israelis fled from border regions under relentless Hezbollah rocket attacks.

Since then, Israeli military experts believe Hezbollah has stockpiled more than 40,000 rockets. Israeli officials have also charged that Syria has supplied the militia with Scud missiles, something Damascus has denied.

In the 1991 Gulf war, then Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein fired more than 30 Scud missiles at Israel, killing one person, wounding more than 170 and causing extensive property damage.

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Hezbollah vows to destroy Israel's navy in event of conflict
Beirut (AFP) May 25, 2010
Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah said on Tuesday that his militants were capable of wiping out Israel's navy and any other ships heading to Israel in the event of a new war with the Jewish state. "If you launch a new war on Lebanon, if you blockade our coastline, all military, civilian or commercial ships heading through the Mediterranean to occupied Palestine will be targetted by the Islami ... read more

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