Diary of the April 1996 Aggression: April 17

Day Seven of the April 1996 Aggression
Local Editor

The seventh day of the April 96 aggression witnessed a clash on the diplomatic front between the American and French initiatives. Meanwhile the operational situation remained unchanged with the occupying forces continuing to bomb villages and towns, leaving a number of martyrs and wounded among the civilians. The Islamic resistance countered this bombardment by pounding enemy positions and occupation settlements with Katyusha rockets, which continued to pour down on settlements in the north (of occupied Palestine) to the extent that conflicting reports on the number of missiles started to circulate inside the Zionist entity.

That day, "Israeli" warplanes bombed the cities of Tyre and Nabatiyeh, as well as surrounding towns. Two houses were bombed in Shakra town, where about 50 people were sheltering. Divine providence saved another blood bath from occurring, which would have been added to the "Israeli" enemy's rich record of massacres, especially those of the April `96 aggression.

In parallel, enemy helicopters resumed bombing of ambulances in what appeared to be a daily habit of the occupation. Crew members of an Islamic Health Society vehicle were injured when their vehicle was bombed.

In response at this time, the resistance Mujahideen continued to pound "Israeli" artillery positions that were bombarding our villages and towns. They resistance also attacked "Israeli" occupation soldiers positions, inflicting their ranks with casualties.

On the diplomatic front, debate evolved on the French and American initiatives to the point of a clash between Washington and Paris. Moves made by former French Foreign Minister Ervé de Charette between Tel Aviv and Cairo, Damascus and Beirut, raised ire in the United States, especially with the Islamic Republic of Iran putting its full weight, in these consultations with the French.

Seventh Day
The pace of the seventh day of the aggression was similar to the two preceding days of 15 and 16 April, 1996, except for a most horrific scene ever witnessed by the Lebanese and the world. Thursday, April the 18th was turned black when the Zionist forces committed a massacre in Nabatiyeh Fawca suburb and another massacre of the times "The Cana Massacre."