2006 Lebanon War - Timeline of The Conflict

Timeline of The Conflict

• On 12 July 2006, Hezbollah launched rocket attacks on Zar'it, Shlomi, and other areas, wounding five civilians. Hezbollah troops entered Israel and attacked two armoured IDF Humvees with pre-positioned explosives and anti-tank missiles. Three Israeli soldiers were killed in the ground attack, two were wounded, captured, and taken to Lebanon, where they later died of their injuries. Five more soldiers were killed and a tank was destroyed during a failed rescue attempt. Following the operation, Hezbollah fighters tried to attack Israeli border outposts. Several Hezbollah fighters were killed, and the attacks were repulsed. Israel retaliated with air, naval, and artillery attacks on Lebanon, hitting Hezbollah targets, along with transport targets to prevent the soldiers from being moved. The attacks began hours before the Israeli cabinet convened to discuss a response. One Hezbollah fighter and 44 civilians were killed.
• On 13 July 2006, Israeli warplanes bombed Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport, Lebanon's only commercial airport. All three of its runways were severely damaged, forcing its closure and diversion of incoming flights to Cyprus. Israel claimed that the airport had been used by Hezbollah for smuggling arms. The Israeli Navy imposed a maritime blockade on Lebanese seaports, and the Israeli Air Force blockaded Lebanese airspace. Israel also bombed the main Beirut –Damascus highway. Aerial attacks also centered on Hezbollah’s long range missile and rocket stockpiles, most of which were destroyed in the first days of conflict. Many of the missiles were destroyed within the first hours, but the attacks could not stop a steady barrage of more than 100 missiles per day. By 8 August, Israeli aerial attacks had destroyed 100 Hezbollah rocket launching platforms, and 11 mobile rocket launchers. Hezbollah launched rockets at Haifa for the first time, hitting a cable car station along with a few other locations in the city. Two civilians were killed.
• On 14 July 2006, the IAF bombed Nasrallah's offices in Beirut. Nasrallah addressed Israel, saying “You wanted an open war, and we are heading for an open war. We are ready for it.” Hezbollah attacked the INS Hanit, an Israeli Navy Sa'ar 5-class corvette off the coast of Lebanon with a what was believed to be a radar-guided C-802 anti-ship missile. Four sailors were killed and the warship was disabled. The ship was repaired and reassumed its combat role in Lebanon three weeks later. An Israeli child and his grandmother were killed by a Hezbollah rocket in Meron. Three Hezbollah Katyusha rockets hit the Israeli military base of Biranit.
• On 15 July 2006, the Israeli Air Force targeted and destroyed Hezbollah's Headquarters in Haret Hreik, and several offices and residences of senior Hezbollah officials. The IDF attacked and destroyed Lebanon’s coastal radars. Israeli helicopter gunships pounded targets in central Beirut. Israeli Navy warships bombarded Beirut's lighthouse and Lebanon's four ports. Israeli Defense Minister Amir Peretz declared martial law throughout Northern Israel. Israel deployed three Patriot missile batteries outside Haifa.
• On 16 July 2006, Israel activated a rocket warning system in Haifa, which sounded air raid sirens one minute before a rocket hit the ground.
• On 17 July 2006, some Israeli ground forces briefly advanced 1 kilometer into Lebanon and levelled Hezbollah outposts with armored bulldozers. A Hezbollah rocket attack hit a railroad repair depot, killing eight workers. Hezbollah asserted that this attack was aimed at a large Israeli fuel storage plant adjacent to the railway facility. Haifa is home to many strategically valuable facilities such as shipyards, oil refineries, transport facilities, and military bases.
• On 18 July 2006, Hezbollah hit a hospital in Safed in northern Galilee, wounding eight. An Israeli man in Nahariya was killed by a rocket as he attempted to reach a bomb shelter.
• On 19 July, Israeli forces made another incursion into Lebanese territory, resulting in fighting with Hezbollah. Four Hezbollah fighters were killed. The IDF claimed that two soldiers were killed, nine wounded, and a tank was damaged by a mortar round. Two Israeli Arab children were killed by a Hezbollah rocket attack on Nazareth. Israeli warplanes carried out airstrikes against over 200 Hezbollah targets, including buildings and command posts, vehicles, and rocket launchers. Israeli Navy vessels attacked a Hezbollah structure and rocket-launching sites throughout Southern Lebanon.
• On 20 July 2006, Four Israeli soldiers were killed and six wounded during fighting in South Lebanon. The IDF claimed that several Hezbollah fighters were killed in the battle. Hezbollah claimed to have destroyed two Israeli tanks, and an armored bulldozer was reportedly destroyed. Meanwhile, Israel carried out 150 airstrikes on Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah structures, bases, headquarters, ammunition warehouses, vehicles, and rockets. Israeli artillery also shelled the Maroun al-Ras area.
• On 21 July 2006, Israel continued its airstrikes while massing troops on the border and calling up five battalions of reservists. Between 300 and 500 soldiers and 30 tanks were already believed to be over the border. Two Israeli helicopters crashed into each other over Northern Israel, leaving a soldier dead and three wounded.
• On 22 July 2006, Israeli aircraft conducted over 90 airstrikes against targets in Lebanon, hitting Hezbollah headquarters and buildings, media facilities, rocket launch sites, and major roads. Hezbollah fired 100 rockets into Israel, injuring 18 people. The IDF's all-Druze Herev Battalion advanced into Lebanon and began operating in Lebanese villages. The Herev Battalion operated in Lebanon for 29 days.
• On 23 July 2006, Israeli land forces crossed into Lebanon in the Maroun al-Ras area, which overlooks several other locations said to have been used as launch sites for Hezbollah rockets. An Israeli civilian in Haifa was killed by a Hezbollah rocket while driving his car, and an Israeli Arab man was killed while working in Kiryat Ata.
• On 24 July 2006, the IDF advanced further into Southern Lebanon, encountering heavy resistance. Fighting took place in the town of Bint Jbeil. According to Israeli sources, two soldiers were killed, 20 wounded, and two tanks were damaged. Hezbollah claimed that three of its fighters were killed, while Israel claimed that the actual number was higher. An Israeli helicopter on its way to support ground forces in Lebanon crashed in Northern Israel, killing two pilots. Hezbollah claimed to have shot down the helicopter, while Israel claimed that the crash was possibly due to friendly fire. Near the end of the fighting, IDF forces controlled a hilltop in Bint Jbeil, while Hezbollah controlled the rest of the city.
• On 25 July 2006, The IAF launched 100 airstrikes on Southern Lebanon and Beirut. IDF troops engaged Hezbollah and Amal militants. Hezbollah said that 7 of its fighters were killed, and Amal said that 4 of its fighters had also been killed. The IDF confirmed that 8 of its soldiers were lightly wounded. Four UNIFIL peacekeepers were wounded by crossfire during the fighting, one seriously. During the course of the day, Hezbollah fired over 100 rockets into Northern Israel. The rockets caused one civilian in Haifa to suffer a heart attack from which he later died, and wounded than 20 civilians in the city. Hezbollah rockets also killed one and injured three in Maghar.
• On 26 July 2006, the Battle of Bint Jbeil began after Israeli troops pushing into the town were ambushed, resulting in fighting which lasted for several hours, some of it taking place in close quarters. During the battle, 40 Hezbollah fighters and 8 IDF soldiers were killed, and most of the IDF soldiers were hit. Among the dead was the Israeli company's commander, Roi Klein. An Israeli soldier was also killed by an anti-tank missile near Maroun al-Ras. Israeli warplanes and artillery attacked and destroyed a United Nations observer post, killing all four UN observers inside. The area was shelled fourteen times before a fighter jet dropped a bomb onto the post. Shelling resumed as rescuers were trying to reach the post. Israel claimed that it had been trying to hit Hezbollah fighters in the vicinity, and did not target UN personnel. An Israeli airstrike also scored a direct hit on Hezbollah's missile command center in Tyre.

• On 27 July 2006, Israeli warplanes carried out airstrikes on suspected Hezbollah hideouts in hills and mountainous areas of the Bekaa Valley, and also hit targets in Beirut. A total of 120 airstrikes were carried out. Israel mobilized 15,000 reservists.
• On 28 July 2006, Israeli Paratroopers killed 26 Hezbollah fighters in Bint Jbeil, and lost 6 wounded. The fighters were from Hezbollah's elite forces.
• On 29 July 2006, IDF troops pulled out from the town, but armored forces continued to operate in the area. The Israeli Air Force destroyed Hezbollah long-range rocket launchers which had been used to attack Afula. Israeli airstrikes also destroyed two bridges on the Orontes River, and a road on the Lebanon-Syria border. In addition, a house in the Old City of Bint Jbeil was destroyed by an airstrike, killing three Hezbollah fighters, including commanders Khalid Bazzi and Sayiid Abu Tam, and targets in Beirut were also bombed. Israeli artillery also shelled the village of Arnoun. An Israeli airstrike wounded two Indian peacekeepers.
• On 30 July 2006, Israeli airstrikes hit an apartment building in Qana, killing 28 civilians, more than half of them children. The airstrike was widely condemned.
• On 31 July 2006, Israel announced a 48-hour halt to airstrikes depending on "operational developments" in Lebanon. Israeli airstrikes later hit targets in Southern Lebanon after Hezbollah attacked an Israeli tank, wounding three soldiers. The same day, an IDF intelligence unit successfully hacked into Hezbollah's Al-Manar television station, and broadcast caricatures of Nasrallah accompanied by taunting captions. Additionally, Several Hezbollah and Al-Manar interest sites were erased from the internet by Israeli technical specialists.
• On 1 August 2006, the IDF confirmed that 3 soldiers were killed and 25 wounded during fighting in Ayta ash Shab. The IDF claimed that 20 Hezbollah fighters were also killed.
• On 2 August 2006, Israeli commandos of the Air Force's Shaldag Unit ferried by helicopter stormed a Hezbollah stronghold in Baalbek, 62 miles (100 km) from the border. The commando assault was codenamed Operation Sharp and Smooth. 19 Hezbollah fighters were killed, and the commandos also seized military equipment. Israeli Paratroopers battled Hezbollah guerillas in Ayta ash-Shab. Israel claimed that 7 Hezbollah fighters were killed and 10 wounded, while the IDF confirmed that 1 soldier was also killed and 14 wounded during the fighting. Hezbollah rocket attacks on Israel killed a man riding his bicycle in Sa'ar, and wounded 160 other civilians.
• On 3 August 2006, Nasrallah warned Israel against hitting Beirut and promised retaliation against Tel Aviv if the warning wasn't heeded. He also stated that Hezbollah would stop its rocket campaign if Israel ceased aerial and artillery strikes of Lebanese towns and villages. Hezbollah rockets hit the cities of Acre and Ma'alot-Tarshiha, killing eight civilians. Three Israeli soldiers were killed when their tank was hit by an Anti-tank missile in Rajamin, and another soldier was killed by Anti-tank fire in Tabieh.
• On 4 August 2006, Israel targeted the southern outskirts of Beirut, and IAF attacked a building in the area of al-Qaa around 10 kilometers from Hermel in the Bekaa Valley, Lebanon. 33 farm workers were killed during the airstrike. Later in the day, Hezbollah launched rockets at the Hadera region, killing three civilians. IDF aircraft struck a number of Hezbollah targets throughout Lebanon, and also hit the office of Hamas in Beirut. Thirty of the strikes were meant to disrupt the firing of rockets into Israel. Four Israeli soldiers were killed in Lebanon, three of them by anti-tank fire during operations in the village of Markabeh. During the night, Israeli armor and infantry forces continued operating in the village, wounding seven Hezbollah fighters and destroying a reniforcement vehicle. During operations in Markabeh, IDF forces uncovered weapon storages containing a large amount of weaponry, including anti-tank missiles as well as intelligence information.In Ayta ash-Shab, Hezbollah fired an anti-tank missile at an Israeli position, sparking an exchange of fire. An IDF reservist was killed, another severely injured, and twenty others lightly injured.
• On 5 August 2006, Israeli commandos carried out a nighttime raid in Tyre killing 7-10 Hezbollah operatives, including senior commanders in Hezbollah’s strategic rocket-launch network. Hezbollah mortar fire hit Israeli forces operating in Nabi Al Awadi, killing one soldier, lightly injuring another, and hitting two engineering vehicles. In Hula, Israeli forces exchanged fire with Hezbollah operatives. At least four Hezbollah fighters were killed and a number were wounded. In Bint Jbeil, another eight Hezbollah fighters were killed in exchanges of fire. In Shama and Ayta ash-Shab, forces exchanged fire with Hezbollah fighters, some of them carrying anti-tank missiles. During the night, Israeli troops captured three Hezbollah fighters. The IAF attacked over 80 Hezbollah targets in Lebanon. Throughout the day, Hezbollah rocket attacks hit Israel. An 87-year old Israeli woman died of a heart attack during a Hezbollah rocket attack on the suburbs of Haifa. A Bedouin-Israeli woman and her three daughters were killed by a Hezbollah rocket in the courtyard of their home.
• On 6 August 2006, 12 Israeli reservists gathering near the Lebanese border were killed in a Hezbollah rocket attack on Kfar Giladi. The soldiers had been artillery gunners preparing for action in the conflict. Three Israeli civilians were also killed in a dusk attack on the Port of Haifa. An 84-year old Israeli woman also died of a heart attack after hearing rockets fall near her home. An Israeli-Arab man was severely wounded, and succumbed to his wounds in August 2007. The IAF launched airstrikes, killing at least 12 civilians, one Lebanese Army soldier, and a PFLP-GC militant. Two IDF soldiers were wounded during a firefight in Ras Al-Bayida, during which Hezbollah also sustained casualties. In Beit Leif and Yaron, IDF reserve forces killed four Hezbollah operatives. Five IDF soldiers were injured in Mahbib during operations to locate weapons facilities. IDF forces also destroyed a Hezbollah command center, position, rocket launchers, trucks carrying rockets, and weapons stores. About 30 Hezbollah fighters were killed and additional fighters injured.
• On 7 August 2006, Three IDF soldiers and 16 Hezbollah fighters were killed. The IDF also destroyed two Hezbollah trucks and a substantial amount of weaponry. The IAF attacked over 150 targets. During the strikes, Israeli aircraft bombed the Shiyyah suburb in the Lebanese capital of Beirut, destroying three apartment buildings in the suburb, killing at least 50 people. The same day, the Israeli Air Force shot down a Hezbollah UAV Three Israeli soldiers were killed during clashes in Bint Jbeil.
• On 8 August 2006, the IDF claimed that at least 15 Hezbollah fighters were killed during fighting in South Lebanon, and that 5 Hezbollah fighters were taken prisoner, one of whom had participated in the Hezbollah raid that captured the Israeli soldiers. The IDF also claimed that a Hezbollah outpost, missile truck, and ammunition dump were destroyed. Four Israeli soldiers were killed. Another eight were wounded, most of them during the destruction of the ammunition dump. IDF intelligence again managed to hack into Hezbollah's Al-Manar station as Hassan Nasrallah was giving a speech, and replaced it with propaganda footage, including images of Hezbollah dead.
• On 9 August 2006, nine Israeli soldiers were killed and 11 wounded when the building they were taking cover in was struck by a Hezbollah anti-tank missile and collapsed. Four reservists were killed when their tank was destroyed by a missile in Ayta ash-Shab. An IDF soldier was also killed and 10 wounded by friendly fire.
• On 10 August 2006, two Israeli Arabs were killed by a Hezbollah rocket in Shaghur.
• On 11 August 2006, Hezbollah shot down an Israeli CH-53 Yas'ur helicopter with an anti-tank missile, killing five aircrew members. Hezbollah claimed the helicopter had been attacked with a Waad missile. On the same day an Israeli soldier was killed in an exchange of fire in Rashef.
• On 12 August 2006, the IDF launched the 2006 Litani offensive in South Lebanon. Over the weekend Israeli forces in southern Lebanon nearly tripled in size. In addition to the five soldiers killed in the helicopter shootdown, 19 Israeli soldiers were killed in ground combat and over 100 wounded; the worst Israeli loss in a single day. Israel claimed that at least 50 Hezbollah fighters were killed and one captured, while Hezbollah denied that figure. Israel confirmed the loss of 2 tanks. Under the cover of intense artillery fire, some Israeli forces reached the Litani River. Hezbollah fired 250 rockets into Israel, killing one civilian.
• On 13 August 2006, the Israeli Air Force shot down two Hezbollah UAVs one of which was carrying at least 30 kilograms of explosives Israeli tanks and infantry attacked the hill of Wadi Saluki. The tanks took heavy fire from well-placed anti-tank positions, but Israeli forces fought their way to the top of the hill and stormed the anti-tank positions. Twelve Israeli soldiers and 80 Hezbollah fighters were killed. An 84-year old Israeli man was killed by a rocket attack in Ya'ara.
• On 14 August 2006, the IAF claimed to have killed the head of Hezbollah’s Special Forces, who was identified as Sajed Dewayer, in an airstrike, while Hezbollah denied this claim.
• 80 minutes before the cessation of hostilities, the IDF targeted a Palestinian faction in the Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp in Sidon, killing a UNRWA staff member.