Israeli soldier killed in fighting flare-up

MARJAYOUN - An Israeli soldier was killed and four were wounded in south Lebanon yesterday in fighting with Hizbollah guerrillas on the Middle East's last active front line. South Lebanon Army militia sources said the Israeli casualties occurred when their hill-top post at Ali Taher, on the edge of Israel's self-declared security zone, came under guerrilla machine-gun and anti-tank rocket fire.

Other posts manned by the Israelis or the SLA at Dabsheh, Suweida and Touhra also came under assault, and missiles were fired at an Israeli patrol in the area of Aishiyeh. Israeli and SLA gunners unleashed artillery shells on Iqlim al-Toufah ridge, near the town of Nabatiyeh and around three villages, killing one person. Reuter