The New York Times has reported that the Bush administration is rushing a delivery of precision-guided bombs to Israel. Some military officers say the request for expedited delivery is unusual and indicates that Israel intends to bomb many more sites in Lebanon. While Israel claims, yet shows no evidence, that Hezbollah is currently funded by Syria, it is well known that America funds Israel’s military offenses. These particular munitions are part of a sales package approved last year, and only one example out of a broad array of armaments that the US has long provided Israel. Pentagon and military officials have refused to give details on just how large the shipment is and exactly what its contents are.

While Israel insists that their bombing campaign is targeting Hezbollah, witnesses on the ground disagree. It’s been reported that entire neighborhoods belonging to Christians and Muslims alike are being leveled by Israeli artillery. Civilian death tolls have continued to rise as Israeli airstrikes target suburbs, doing more damage to civilian infrastructures than to Hezbollah operations. Other civilian installations that have questionable strategic value include a building used by rescue workers, a lighthouse, grain silos, bridges, airports, vehicles packed with civilians, power plants, ports, and water treatment facilities. These targets all had no apparent ties to Hezbollah. The U.N. has issued a humanitarian disaster warning.

Currently, about 305 Lebanese civilians have been killed by Israeli strikes in the past 11 days. Israeli troops have held positions inside Lebanon near the villages of Marwaheen in the west and in Maroun al-Ras further east. On Friday, 3,000 reserve troops were called in and armored vehicles were placed at the Lebanese border. Overnight Israeli airstrikes have targeted residential areas, mostly in southern Lebanon. The Prime Minister of Lebanon and the UN secretary-general, Kofi Annan, have both asked for an immediate ceasefire. Condoleezza Rice, who is scheduled to travel to the Middle East next week, said that Israel should ignore all calls for a ceasefire. Rice further described the death of innocent civilians in Lebanon as part of the “birth pangs of a new Middle East”.

source 1
source 2
source 3