Diary of the April 1996 Aggression: April 11

Day One of the April 1996 Aggression

Local Editor

It was at this time of year, back in 1996, that the "Israeli" enemy launched its military operation "Grapes of Wrath" against Lebanon, committing massacres, killing children and displacing many families.

The operation was faced by the resistance which was prepared to respond and confront; this resistance overturned existing equations placing "Israel" in a tough position, forcing it to reconsider its calculations and, for the first time, take into account the existence of this "resistance and its Mujahideen."

All along, the United States backed "Israel" in its April aggression, on all levels.

President Bill Clinton wanted Sharm al-Sheikh Conference of March 1996 held under the title of "Anti-terrorism", to undermine resistance in occupied Palestine and Lebanon, to pressure the opponents of any negotiated settlement, and to give a lift to his ally, Prime Minister Shimon Peres' tumbling ratings in "Israel."

Shimon Peres, at the time, was eyeing the military option as the only way out of his domestic predicament.

And so, on April 11, 1996, "Israeli" occupation forces began to evacuate the settlers' population from occupation settlements in north occupied Palestine, as a prelude to its "Grapes of Wrath", which the enemy began with an air raid on a hill west of Baalbek City, followed by constant shelling of Sujud and Rihan Heights, and Rafi'a Mountain.

Day One of the Aggression: April

Zionist shelling also targeted a Lebanese army checkpoint, wounding two of its personnel. And for the first time since the "Israeli" invasion in 82, occupation forces shelled Beirut's southern suburbs wounding a number of civilians.

With persistent Zionist shelling of the villages in the South and Western Bekaa, and Beirut's Dahiyeh suburbs, the Islamic resistance retaliated by bombing "Israeli" enemy posts and those of its collaborators.

That evening, Hizbullah Secretary General announced that the resistance would respond harshly to that attack, stressing that the ‘Beirut - Kiryat Shmona' balance of terror is unacceptable.

April 11th, 1996 - "Grapes of Wrath" aggression begins

As the aggression days unfolded, "Israeli" bombing pace, harshness and intensity increased, and with it the resistance response as well.