An Israeli Apache helicopter crashed Monday afternoon in the Upper Galilee. It was the second accident involving the Apache helicopters in one week. The two pilots were killed, media reports have indicated. It appears at present that the crash occurred when the helicopter hit overhead power lines.
This came as the Israeli army is trying to expand the incursion of its forces in southern Lebanon. Two Israei troops died and 10 others were lightly wounded on Monday in an exchange of fire with Hizbullah fighters in the area between the villages of Mrun A-Ras and Bint Jbail, in southern Lebanon, an Israeli spokesman said.
Large forces crossed the border Sunday night as the Israeli army expanded its presence in southern Lebanon. Meanwhile, Israeli soldiers captured two Hizbullah fighters during a battle in south Lebanon, Israeli officials said early Monday. Israel's Army Radio reported that the two were the first prisoners Israeli forces have taken in the current offensive.
On his part, Hizbullah leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, said in remarks published on Monday that the incursions in south Lebanon will not stop rocket firing into northern Israel. "Any Israeli incursion will not have political results unless it achieves any of the announced goals, most importantly to stop the bombardment of Zionist settlements ... and I assure you that this will goal will not be achieved," he told the Beirut-based As-Safir daily newspaper.
Nasrallah added Hizbullah would not object if the Lebanese government were to negotiate a prisoner swap, under which Hizbullah freed the two Israeli soldiers it captured on July 12 in return for Lebanese and Arab prisoners in Israeli jails.
