[Guardian]

By BENJAMIN HARVEY
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER

ON THE ISRAEL-LEBANON BORDER -- Israeli soldiers returning from the front in Lebanon talk of battling an intelligent, well-prepared and ruthless guerrilla army whose fighters don't seem to fear death.

The troops describe Hezbollah guerrillas hiding among civilians and in underground bunkers two or three stories deep - evidence, they say, that Hezbollah has been planning this battle for many years.

"It's hard to beat them," one soldier said. "They're not afraid of anything."

The soldiers, most of whom declined to give their names under orders from superiors, described exchanges of gunfire in between houses on village streets, with Hezbollah guerrillas sometimes popping out of bushes to fire Kalashnikovs, rocket-propelled grenades and anti-tank missiles.

The troops' comments underscored the enormous challenges faced by Israel as it seeks to neutralize Hezbollah, which captured two Israeli soldiers in a brazen cross-border raid on July 12, provoking a fierce Israeli response.

Despite Israel's enormous firepower that it says has already killed about 100 Hezbollah fighters, some military analysts say the war isn't going particularly well for the Jewish state, which is encountering tougher than expected resistance. It has been unable to push the guerrillas back significantly or stop hundreds of their rockets from slamming into northern Israel.

For the past few days Israel has been fighting for control of the tiny southern Lebanese village of Maroun al-Ras, located on a hilltop less than 500 yards across the border. The army said it had a significant presence in the village, but gunfire and the blasts of artillery shells could still be heard on Sunday as tanks and helicopters pounded positions inside.

Officers at the scene confirmed there was still fighting to do.

"They're not fighting like we thought they would," one soldier said. "They're fighting harder. They're good on their own ground."

One soldier said the guerrillas wore olive green army uniforms "to confuse us" because Israelis wear the same. Others said Hezbollah hid underground in reinforced bunkers until they thought it safe to come out and attack. The Israelis prefer to stay away from those bunkers, the soldiers said, instead calling in coordinates so forces massed behind the border can hit them with guided missiles.

"It will take the summer to beat them," said Michael Sidorenko, 21, resting in the shade of a road sign with other combat troops. On the hills behind him, loud gunfire and the constant thud of explosions could be heard.

"They're not normal soldiers, you know," Sidorenko said. "They're guerrillas. They're very smart."

Sidorenko said he saw Hezbollah fighters firing from behind Lebanese civilians.

"That's why our soldiers are getting killed," he said.

Of the 19 soldiers killed so far since fighting began, five have died trying to gain control of Maroun al-Ras.

To avoid more deaths, Israel has decided to limit its ground incursions to pinpoint operations near the border - a policy that military analysts say may well be insufficient to achieve Israel's goal of pushing Hezbollah back and destroying its ability to attack Israel.

Not every soldier described Hezbollah as fierce. One said that when Israeli troops show up in vehicles, the guerrillas "run like chickens."

Others wondered why Hezbollah had not yet attacked the nearly two-dozen army vehicles and hundreds of troops camped out in easy striking range below the hill on which Maroun al-Ras sits.

Most believed the guerrillas would rather aim their rockets at major Israeli population centers such as Haifa.

A core group of a few hundred Israeli soldiers, including paratroopers, have carried out most of the fighting in Maroun al-Ras. Sunday's action mainly involved Israelis firing artillery rounds onto spots on the hill, and armored carriers bringing supplies to the troops.

One young man said the delivery duty can be harrowing because you never know where and when the next round of fire will hit.

"It's crazy over there," said Alon Williams, 20, a bright-eyed tank driver who immigrated from South Africa.

The soldiers said Hezbollah has refrained from attacking them as they approached Maroun al-Ras in tanks and armored personnel carriers, preferring instead to let Israelis reach the village and then attack them there.

The fighting, they said, showed the guerrillas had used the six years since Israel withdrew from Lebanon to build bunkers, stockpile weapons and study tactics.

"They have good knowledge about where we are, what we're doing, what kinds of weapons we have," Sidorenko said.

But it's better to fight them now than later, when they'd be even stronger, he said.

[Zuljenah]

Yay for Hezbullah!! Does anyone know how many soldiers Hezbullah has? InshAllah enough...!!

[Ex_Man_32]

I heard they have over 7.000 regulars, and that there are 10.000 others, ready to take arms if needed. So the zionists have their task cut out for them. They thought they would be fighting some ragtag militia, but instead they encountered a fully trained and fully armed military force. In 2 weeks, they haven´t gained more than a few hundread yards, even that village they say they control is under constant attack, and they can´t consolidate the position.
I think Hizbollah´s prowness and top-class ability is leaving a lot of people proud of them. There´s quite a few governments in the region that should learn from their professionalism. Two thumbs up, all the way.
May Allah bless them and help them kick the israelis out of Lebanon.
Inshallah...

This post has been edited by Ex_Man_32: 26 July 2006 - 04:41 PM

[ya imam mehdi]

Salam,

Mashallah, I loved reading this! Allahumma Salee Ala Muhammad Wa Ale Muhammad. I cant help but keep thinking about the battles that the Muslims fought during the time of the Rasool(s) and how Allah(swt) reminds us in the Holy Quran about how HE sends HIS aid to whom HE chooses etc...

I wonder what those Zionists Soliders are really seeing when on the battle ground... SubhanAllah.

I loved this best from the article...""It's hard to beat them," one soldier said. "They're not afraid of anything."

MashAllah, may Allah increase their yaqeen....

Ws

[Averröes]

br. exman let's not exaggerate.

They have ten thousand region soldiers. All whom are among the bravest and righteous soldiers on this planet.

They've really put the scare into these coward jewish soldiers.

even racist british times is reporting the reality. The reality is on the ground Hizbullah are fighting bravely instilling fear, all this despite being "isolated" by the fully armed coward armies who claim to be muslims around them. Turkey & saudi just recently blocked their air space for Iran to send medical supplies.

“It was really scary. Most of our armoured personnel carriers have holes,” a paramedic told The Times after recovering three wounded tank soldiers. “It’s a very hard situation. We were in Lebanon before but it wasn’t like this for a long time.” A tank commander said: “It’s a real war.”

http://www.timesonli...2285870,00.html

[MentalAcrobatics]

Well some supposedly hitech armies with super rambos are used to fightin stone throwing militias......hmmm this is the real stuff for many of them ...a comment passed by some zionist soldier returning from the front lines was something along the lines..."oh, this is a REAL war... they are bullets and missiles flying in all directions..."!....its a pity when dangerous toys are given to children...!!

[Ex_Man_32]

One thing that History has to teach, is that having the biggest and most modern army is not a guarantee of victory. The Roman Empire had the greatest army on Earth at the time, and they lost to a bunch of poorly armed, poorly equipped germanic tribes. The Nazi Germany had the best army of their time, and they lost the war. The US had the best army in Vietnam, and they lost aswell. It´s easy to underestimate the underdog, and that is our biggest weapon. Because we are underestimated, we have the abillity to surprise the enemy, and that capability is worth 10 divisions of armed men.

Unfortunally to Israel and the US, they don´t seem capable of learning from History and from their past mistakes, and that will be their downfall. Israel never had a Vietnam, it´s time to give them one.

[bobtom]

Hello everyone. Nice to meet you all.

pret personnel

[faress]

I believe with everything that goes on in Iran and our Islamic World mainly the ongoing sectarian issues and the big win in Elections of Lebanon opposition ,Hizbollah is not Tough there are many holes and issues that needs to be fixed and taken care of in order to have the strenght .I pray that gets our concern ,wassalam

[Living Dead]

Faress, the opposition in the just concluded elections in Lebanon, spearheaded by the Resistance and the Free Patriotic Movement, actually WON the MAJORITY of the POPULAR vote.

Lebanon is the only supposed DEMOCRACY in the world, where the people who get the most votes actually end up on the loosing side.

However, I agree with you, the followers of Ahlal Bayt have a lot of work to do.

[Nasrallah]

Fares,

It would be nice if you could explain your rather ambiguous statement "Hizbollah is not Tough...".

[faress]

well my statment was clear enough to understand the fact that Hizbollah is not tough enough to maintain stability in Lebanon with all the diffrences in Lebanon let alone being a model to all other islamic resistance ,we have kias in Iran ,lebanon,sectarian issues ,border issues ...how could Hizbollah be tough when he only 'resist'?!
and even for that he is targeted...to drop weapons..they ll never turn their back ..or close an eye,we have to be more prepared in the future ...we re being targeted in mentaly and culturaly wars ..more than bloody ones,when our own plp do not understand what's good and bad for them and who's there to tell them?!
To Allah we shall Return.
one more thing ,it is very tricky to decied when you are tough or weak in Time of war ...Allah knows best.
not every weak loses neither every tough wins