Ground forces move in on guerilla positions

Fierce Exchanges In Southern Lebanon

Hezbollah has claimed that its soldiers have killed five Israelis in fighting in and around Israel's self-styled "security zone" inside southern Lebanon.

Israel has declined to comment. But earlier today, Israeli warplanes carried out a series of raids on Hezbollah positions.

The Israelis said that their planes attacked terrorist origins of fire near the village of Yater east of Tyre.

Ground forces followed up the air attacks - the consequence being three more deaths. All were Hezbollah terrorists according to the Israeli forces.

The air-raids and supporting artillery fire followed Hezbollah rocket and machine-gun attacks on Israeli positions in the zone occupied by Israel in southern Lebanon.

Such attacks and counter attacks are part of the continuing war between Israel and Hezbollah in the south. Israel says it needs its security zone to protect its northern population. Hezbollah is fighting to get Israel out.

Both sides reached an understanding after Israel's major onslaught on southern Lebanon last year and agreed not to target each other's civilians. But this week that agreement was breached, both by Israel's militia ally in southern Lebanon which shelled Sidon, and Hezbollah which in turn rocketed northern Israel.

Israel and Hezbollah have both said that they want the agreement honoured but the military conflict in southern Lebanon is set to go on indefinitely, given that there's no prospect of a political agreement.