DIARY OF RESISTANCE OPERATIONS -- SEPTEMBER 1997

Among the eleven deceased soldiers evacuated by the enemy, the following were identified: the force commander, First Sergeant Yusuf Kourati (32 years old); Major Tasahi Ben Tof (28 years old); Marshal Daghash (26 years old); Marshal Ram Levant (22 years old); Marshal Cevik Rothman (21 years old); Deputy Ras Sapi (22 years old); Deputy R.B. Abramson (20 years old); Deputy Johanna Hilbmerg (21 years old); First Sergeant Gabby Gossan 921 years old); First Sergeant Gal Rodoski (20 years old); First Sergeant Pamid Shamvil (20 years old); Sergeant Ethmar Elea.

Regarding the Epic of Ansariyeh, Hizbullah Secretary General His Eminence Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah held a press conference, confirming, "Ansariyeh Epic represented so great a defeat for the "Israeli" security systems and military." Having predicted the assault, the Islamic Resistance deployed its fighters in all potential airdrop locations, His Eminence as well revealed.
Sayyed Nasrallah now declared 25 to 30 soldiers were dead, unlike the "Israeli" claim as to the death of only 12 soldiers. His Eminence said the Islamic Resistance had the pieces of more than a soldier, including 4 legs, left behind the defeated commando force.

His Eminence then commended the Lebanese Army's role in the battle.
The Lebanese Army played a main role in foiling the "Israeli" assail, some Lebanese-Army sources said. That is, the Army's local centers kept all "Israeli" marine vessels and aircraft under direct monitoring and accurate surveillance until the commando force was airdropped in the operation zone. Consequently, the Lebanese-Army units launched tens of incineration bombs in the sky of the operation zone, facilitating the force's exposure to the Islamic-Resistance fighters' barrage.

The political consultant and official spokesman for the UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon) Timor Goksel made the following comment as to the operation of the "Israeli" commandoes, "This operation is clearly unjustified, especially when more than 30 kilometers separate the airdrop zone from the occupied borderline." Goksel as well declared, "Stricken by the fire of Hizbullah, the Lebanese Army, and the Amal Movement, the "Israeli" unit was forced to retreat in an hour."

A skull, in addition to some amputated legs, arms, and pieces of the "Israeli" commandoes were actually found in the battle field. Besides, four A-K 47 machine guns, four yellow Kalashnikov machine guns, an M-18 machine gun, pistols, ammunition-filled girdles, first-aid tool kits, bandages covered with blood, frogmen's luggage, bulletproof vests, and traces of blood covering a radius of tens of meters were found. An expert on explosives told the French Press Agency (AFP) the commando unit left behind six blast timers and a rubber boat, too.

As to the "Israeli" reactions, the "Israeli" Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared, "The defeat of the "Israeli" force in Ansariyeh is one of the worst tragedies we've ever faced. It's not an exaggeration to say we've lost some of our best soldiers... It's a day of anguish and grief for the people of "Israel"."
For his part, "the Meretz Party" Leader Yossi Sarid deprecated Netanyahu's act, blaming him for the incident, "All of us are distressed, but it's Netanyahu's policy that's bringing about a disaster after another rather than the peace and security he promised."
"These are "Israel's" blackest days," added Sarid.

The "Israeli" Infrastructure Minister Ariel Sharon declared to the enemy's channel, "The security course of action in Lebanon must be reconsidered."
In a televised interview, the Zionist Minister of War Isaac Mordechai said, "The zone where the operation was to be performed was presumably not so guarded... All precautions were made to guarantee the success of the operation, but I don't know what exactly happened."
Publicly, the Lebanese President Elias el-Hrawi, Speaker of the Parliament Nabih Berri, and Premier Rafik Hariri held a meeting to discuss the aggression. Hariri then called the French President Jacque Chirac and a number of US officials, asking them to make the necessary calls to settle the situation in the south of Lebanon and to prevent any further "Israeli" aggressions.

For its part, the US Foreign Ministry asked all concerned parties to be quite self-disciplined. The State Department Spokesman James Foley declared, "Regarding the critical situation prevailing in the Middle East and our disability to bear any escalation of the ongoing violence, we must put an end to the unrest in the south of Lebanon."
The Lebanese Ambassador to Washington Muhammad Shatah reported the incidents to the officials of the US Ministry of Foreign Affairs, "The "Israeli" operation shows it is time for "Israel" to reconsider its presence in Lebanon and withdraw."

On the "Israeli" level, the Chief of Staff Emanon Shahak formed a special military investigation committee to investigate the failure of the airdrop operation headed by General Gabby Ovier in Ansariyeh. The committee actually met the command as well the members of the commando unit to which the deceased commandoes belonged. The "Israeli" channel declared that the commando force stricken had conducted "successful" operations at the heart of southern Lebanon. There had been two weeks of planning before the operation night destined, the channel added.
In parallel, Hizbullah Secretary General His Eminence Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah received the guard groups that had confronted the commando force, commending the fighters' gallantry manifested through the victorious battle. His Eminence as well emphasized the fighters' readiness all over the Lebanese regions in case any similar "Israeli" aggression occurred. Finally, the fighters ate cake and received gifts and copies of the Holy Qur'an.

On the other hand, the Zionist enemy prevented its media from showing the photographs of the soldiers' body pieces scattered in Ansarieh. Trying to bring the soldiers back to their spirits, the enemy as well deprecated the Western press for publishing those photographs. Thereupon, Hizbullah published tens of photos of the occupations soldiers' body pieces on the internet, maintaining the psychological war against the enemy.

In spite of the strict censorship dealing with the "Israeli" media, Haaretz reported more than three weeks later the investigation committee had decided to make word of warning to six officers (ranging between major and corporal).
Haaretz also said there were "Intelligence disruptions" as to the operation planning.
For its part, the investigation committee made its conclusions upon either of these possibilities: the presence of a double agent leaking intelligence information for Hizbullah's sake; the soldiers' explosives being the reason beyond the blast.

Operation ad-Dabsheh, September 7, 1997

On September 7, 1997, the Islamic Resistance performed an operation against ad-Dabsheh Site.
Having been severely wounded during the attack, the Zionist officer Abraham Pock (22 years old) died, late afterwards the occupation forces acknowledged so.

Houla Confrontation, September 10, 1997

Having penetrated the enemy's security procedures and reached the heart of the occupied region, an Islamic-Resistance group lay in ambush. As soon as an "Israeli" patrol reached the ambush spot, the fighters clashed with the patrollers.
Having come along with other reinforcements from al-Abbad Site, a Merkava tank was hit by the missile of an Islamic-Resistance tank-sniper. So the tank flipped to the bottom of the valley, two of its crewmen died, and the others suffered injuries.

Only several days later did the enemy acknowledge the casualties, claiming 2 "Israeli" soldiers died and 6 others suffered injuries in "traffic accidents" along the Lebanese borders with Palestine.

Mount ar-Rafie' Confrontations, September 12, 1997

As a Zionist force heading towards Arab Salim Town reached a compulsory route on Mount ar-Rafie', an Islamic-Resistance group ambushed the force and opened fire on it.
In the meantime, another Islamic-Resistance group encompassed the clash zone, violently clashing with the Zionist force for three hours approximately.
As enemy reinforcements arrived in the operation zone, a third Islamic-Resistance group immediately struck them.

While some military sources related with the Lahd Militia confirmed the injury of 4 "Israeli" soldiers, the Islamic-Resistance fighters confirmed the death of 4 "Israeli" soldiers.
During the confrontations, three Islamic-Resistance fighters were martyred: Sayyed Hadi Hassan Nasrallah, son of Hizbullah Secretary General His Eminence Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah; Ali Muhammad Koutharani; and Haitham Moghnieh.

Operation Tallousseh, September 14, 1997

The Islamic-Resistance fighters blasted a "Golani-Brigade" infantry patrolling by Tallousseh Town. An infantryman was immediately killed, and two others were wounded, one of whom died while being transported on a helicopter to occupied Palestine.

Resistance Dedicates "Operation Series of Mount ar-Rafie' Martyrs" to Lebanese-Army Martyrs, September 18, 1997

The Islamic Resistance conducted a series of 28 attacks against 26 Lahd-Zionist sites along the occupied borderline through Iqlim at-Toffah.
While several groups of fighters were attacking Kassaret el-Oroush Site, a Merkava tank attempted to back the site, so one of the Islamic-Resistance fighters of the Tank-Sniping Unit struck the tank. As a result, three of the crewmen were wounded, and First Lieutenant Eyal Shimoni was killed, acknowledged a Zionist military spokesman.

The operation, in fact, was performed two days after the "Israeli" channel videotaped the tank and its crewmen, who had ironically been maneuvering in case of an attack," reported the channel's military correspondent, "The maneuvers going on well are not always useful when it comes to the real situation. Only hours after maneuver, a "Fagot" missile (an anti-tank missile) hit the tank itself and caused losses to its crewmen."
The correspondent as well said the "Israeli" military was wondering why the tank crewmen hadn't been ultimately secured.
The operation was dedicated to the martyrs of the Lebanese Army, declared the Islamic Resistance.

Operation Mash'aroun, September 29, 1997

While a Zionist force was setting "TAO" missiles and a radar platform at Mash'aroun Site, an Islamic-Resistance group attacked the site, demolishing both emplacements.
Soon afterwards, the enemy acknowledged the death of an "Israeli" intelligence officer. Marshal Gal Levran (21 years old) belonged to the phalange that lost five soldiers in "Operation al-Hjeir Valley", which Hizbullah performed in August 1997, the enemy's channel reported.

Three Islamic-Resistance Fighters Martyred in September 1997

Three Islamic-Resistance fighters were martyred on September 12, 1997 while confronting the enemy forces on Mount ar-Rafie':

Sayyed Hadi Hassan Nasrallah (Son of Hizbullah Secretary General His Eminence Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah)
Ali Muhammad Koutharani
Haitham Moghnieh


Source: moqawama.org