Hizbollah capture 2 Israeli soldiers. IDF prepare to strike Lebanon.

Israeli ground forces have entered Lebanon and called up 9,000 army reserves in response to Hizbollah guerrillas capturing 2 of its soldiers. Minister Olmerde declared the attack "an act of war .... Lebanon will pay a heavy price (BBC News 2.00 BST)."

An IDF reserve infantry division has already been mobilised has crossed Israel's northern border with Lebanon.

Shelling between Syrian-backed Hizbollah and Israeli has been continuing all day,artillery shells have hit Lebanese border villages after rockets hit Shlomi, an Israeli frontier town about 15 km (nine miles) east of the Mediterranean coast..

The EU has called for the immediate release of the two soldiers.

IDF / State assassination attempt 9 killed but Hamas leader escaped

On Wednesday, (see previous post) an Israeli air strike on Gaza killed 9 members of one Palestinian family and totally destroyed a building where Hamas leaders were said to be meeting.

The attack killed a local Hamas leader, Nabil Abu Selmeya, his wife and seven sons and daughters aged seven to 19. 35 people were also injured Mohammad Deif, leader of the governing Hamas movement's armed wing amongst them.(Some reports claim he was not there)

The scene at the bombed Gaza building recalled Israel's assassination of Hamas military commander Salah Shehada in 2002 by dropping a huge one-tonne bomb on his home. The hit caused the collapse of the five-story building and damaged several adjacent buildings. In addition to Shehada, at least 14 other Palestinian Arabs, including several children, were killed by the raid. Palestinian doctors say 154 people were injured.

For historians this is what IDF Chief of Staff Moshe Ya'alon described how the operation went ..."The execution of the air force was perfect, but the intelligence gap in regard to the neighboring house caused a hitch. Six children were killed in that house." At least it increased the world's knowledge of what happens when you drop one ton HE bombs on civilian populations... it kills people indiscriminately.

At the time US President George W. Bush denounced it as "heavy-handed," while UN officials and other world figures expressed "displeasure".

Ariel Sharon then PM boasted at the Israeli Cabinet on Tuesday, July 23, 2002"This action, to my knowledge, is one of our major successes and it necessitates all of us being on top alert."

How much longer can Olmerde last ? When will Livni take over, rather than operating from the shadows?