Israelis bear down on vital P.L.O. strongholds

Press, 9 June 1982, Page 1

Israelis bear down on vital P.L.O. strongholds

NZPA-Reuter

London

Israeli aircraft struck against the strategic Lebanese port of Sidon and a Palestinian stronghold at Damour, 25km to the north, yesterday as Israeli troops continued their drive against guerrilla bases in south Lebanon.

The Palestinian news agency. Wafa, said that Israeli planes and artillery had bombarded Sidon and Damour.

As the fighting went into its third day. Israel said its forces were surrounding Sidon. regional headquarters of the Palestine Liberation Organisation. ■

Wafa said that guerrillas had halted a push by Israeli troops who were trying to move north from their beachhead at the mouth of the Awali River. 3km north of Sidon.

Palestinian ' spokesmen denied Israeli assertions that they had captured the southern port of Tyre, the first place the Israelis reached when they crossed into Lebanon with an estimated 500 tanks and armoured personnel carriers at the weekend.

But the ’ guerrillas conceded the loss of the strongholds of Beaufort Castle and Nabatiyeh. Beirut radio said that three Lebanese soldiers had been killed when Lebanese forces clashed with Israeli troops advancing towards Jezzine. east of Sidon. Official Lebanese sources in Beirut said that Israeli planes and gunboats offshore had bombed and shelled a Lebanese Army barracks on the outskirts of Sidon for more than three hours yesterday. Syria said yesterday that its troops had joined in the fighting, although the scale of their involvement did not appear to be great. Two Syrian MiG fighters were shot down by Israeli aircraft in dogfights north of Beirut yesterday, an Israeli military spokesman said. Israel’s Ambassador to the United States. Mr Moshe Arens. ’ said yesterday that his country's Army would pull out of southern Lebanon when a force was established there to prevent the return of Palestinian guerrillas. There were several armed forces in Lebanon committed to the country's independence who could do that, he said.

But he would not say if they included the Israelibacked Right-wing militia commanded by Major Saad Haddad. Mr Arens said it would be unfortunate for the United States and Israel if the P.L.O. was permitted to return to southern Lebanon.

Mr Arens also repeated the pledge of the Israeli’ Prime Minister (Mr Menachem Begin) that Israeli forces would stop their ad-

vance when they had reached far enough —40 km — to keep Palestinian artillery from firing into northern Israel. The American Middle East special envoy. Mr Philip Habib. who rushed to Jerusalem as soon as the fighting erupted, met Mr Begin early yesterday. No details were given of the talks, but it was assumed that Mr Habib had repeated President Ronald Reagan's earlier calls for restraint and America's support for- a United Nations Security Council resolution urging an immediate cease-fire. A United Nations deadline for a cease-fire expired today. and at the United Nations, diplomatic sources said that the council might have to consider taking more action to pressure Israel into withdrawing from Lebanon.

Islamic countries have expressed outrage at Israel's strike into Lebanon, and Iran has urged Arab countries to use their military and economic strength, including the oil weapon, to counter the Israeli thrust. Wafa said that the Palestinians and their Lebanese Leftist allies were harassing Israeli troops near the coastal village of Jiyeh. 7km north'd the mouth of the Awali River, where the Israelis landed.

Other units moving south from the same beachhead had run into guerrilla ambushes on the outskirts of Sidon. The Wafa bulletins indicated that the guerrillas still controlled the orchards and wooded hills overlooking the narrow coastal plain where the Israeli troops had artillery support from gunboats offshore.