Israeli planes shower leaflets on Beirut warning people to "flee for their lives" and suggesting two escape routes (pandemonium in streets as people try to enter E. Beirut...
Israeli and Phalangist forces link in Beirut, encircling PLO forces inside city; Israeli tanks push NE of capital, move on Syrian positions; IDF seizes control of Baabda;...
Fierce tank, artillery and air battles force Syrians out of range of Israeli territory; while Israel and Syrians declare a cease-fire, PLO combat goes on; cease-fire...
48 Israeli air strikes are reported in the areas of Nabatiyeh, Beaufort Castle, Arnoun, Hasbaya and Aichiye; Israeli jets and gun-boats bomb and strafe several dozen...
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Military Action:
Israeli planes shower leaflets on Beirut warning people to "flee for their lives" and suggesting two escape routes (pandemonium in streets as people try to enter E. Beirut; Phalangists refuse to let Palestinians through their lines); Phalange reported openly cooperating with IDF; large IDF troop maneuvers along Beirut-Damascus highway; Israel dis-plays stockpile of weapons from PLO bases in Lebanon; Israeli Government acknowledges use of US-supplied cluster bombs in Lebanon; car bombings continue in Beirut; 700 IDF tanks, 1000 armored cars, 210 heavy artillery pieces surround Beirut; special IDF unit trained in street fighting arrives from Golan.
Casualties:
Three killed, 20 injured in explosion near Agence France Presse building in Beirut; French paper says 209 died and 153 were wounded in mountains; latest Lebanese police figures are 10,112 dead, 19,000 wounded (expected to be higher); foreign correspondents are still not allowed into Ain el-Hilweh refugee camp (near Sidon) and Rashidiyeh (near Tyre); less than half of Palestinian refugees remain in 3 Palestinian camps, few have anywhere to go.
Political Responses:
Israel/ Occupied Territories: Israeli Cabinet issues "peace plan" demanding that all PLO members, not just leadership, exit to Syria, urges Lebanese Army to enter West Beirut; government officials express some concern over George Shultz; Sharon denies Begin promised Reagan IDF would not invade Beirut; former IDF chief of staff Gur says past 2 weeks of fighting and Israeli deaths pointless; Labor Alignment demands that IDF not ente: Beirut (300 Labor doves demonstrate outside Prime Minister's office); group of army reservists, back from serving in Lebanon, announces round-the-clock protests; 20,000 protest the war in Tel Aviv; blood bank in Gaza sends blood to Sidon victims through Red Cross; 2 mukhtars from Nablus area fired by Israeli government for refusing to join Israeli-sponsored Village Leagues; Nablus Mayor Shakaa condemns US veto of French resolution at the UN.
Palestinians/ Lebanese: Gemayel's Phalangists expand control in areas seized by IDF (re-ports of interrogations regarding political sympathies at gunpoint, beatings, even killings); hostility of villagers toward IDF in Bekaa area and mountains reported; Prime Minister Wazzan meets with Arafat; Arafat agrees in principle on PLO disarming and leaving Lebanon.
Arab Governments: Advisor to Mubarak says PLO will be radicalized; Saudi Arabia reportedly presses for IDF pullback; Syria reluctant to take PLO guerrillas, fearing Syria would become target for IDF raids; Tunis meeting of Arab foreign ministers reported as a fiasco (though ad hoc committee formed to pressure 5 permanent members of UN Security Council to demand IDF withdrawal).
US and Other Countries: US issues stern warning to Israel not to invade Beirut; Finnish medical therapist says IDF arrested bedridden patients in Sidon.
Military Action:
Israeli and Phalangist forces link in Beirut, encircling PLO forces inside city; Israeli tanks push NE of capital, move on Syrian positions; IDF seizes control of Baabda; Beirut radio says IDF, with Phalangist support, moves to coast north of Beirut; Israeli navy closes Beirut port; Sharon visits Beirut for meetings with Phalangist leaders.
PLO leaders tour camps, hospitals, troop positions in Beirut; fighting flares between IDF and Syrians near highway; Phalangist officers, dressed in Israeli uniforms, are seen giving directions to Israeli tanks.
Casualties:
Reports from Tyre indicate no buildings untouched by shrapnel (Israeli military governor estimates only 30 percent of buildings destroyed); Palestinian Red Crescent Hospital in Sidon reports many patients dismem-bered in fighting (only one doctor remains to tend 58 patients after Israelis arrest Canadian, Norwegian, Palestinian doctors); all Sidon men aged 17-55, required to report to IDF for permits, many are arrested after going to IDF headquarters; 90 busloads of Palestinians reportedly taken away for questioning; Lebanese police report 9,583 killed, 16,608 wounded since Israeli air raids began 11 days ago (dead in Beirut estimated at 750); Israel now controls about half of Lebanon; Nabatiyeh reported "sanitized" by IDF before foreign correspondents allowed in; Israelis report 170 Israelis killed, 700 wounded, 10 captured, and 6,000 Palestinian guerrillas and 60 Syrians held; UK embassy advises nationals to leave.
Political Responses:
Israel/Occupied Territories: Israeli Defense Minister Sharon says IDF has "no intention" of taking Beirut; General Eitan says IDF mission is to smash PLO's political and military nerve center; Begin leaves for the US; Israeli agencies plan relief for Lebanon.
Palestinians/ Lebanese: PLO vows to stand and fight; Lebanese President Sarkis, meeting with 10 Cabinet ministers at Presidential Palace (Israeli tanks 200 metres away), calls for setting up a Council of National Salvation; 3 appointees to Council, however, refuse to attend; Habib delivers Israeli withdrawal terms to Sarkis, and US Ambassador Dillon sends limousine to fetch Walid Jumblatt; Jumblatt demands wider representation of Lebanese leftists on Council-other members are Gemayel (Maronite Phalangist), Berri (Shiite Amal), Maalouf (Catholic), Foreign Minister Butros (Greek Orthodox), Prime Minister Wazzan (Sunni), and Presi-dent Sarkis (Maronite); Christians in Baabda reportedly welcome Israelis, guide them; Bashir Gemayel reportedly pushed as future president of Lebanon (election of new Lebanese president by Parliament scheduled for late August); Haddad tours southern Lebanon.
Arab Governments: Egypt relays Palestinian request for cease-fire in Beirut area to Israel; Mubarak meets with Saudi King Fahd (first contact since 1973 peace treaty signed).
Military Actions:
Fierce tank, artillery and air battles force Syrians out of range of Israeli territory; while Israel and Syrians declare a cease-fire, PLO combat goes on; cease-fire leaves Israel controlling one-third of Lebanese territory; 18 Syrian MIGs shot down (total Syrian losses now 79) and 9 T-72 USSR-supplied tanks knocked out; Israeli jets hit PLO military command offices; 3 Israeli shells from ships land in West Beirut; Syrian-Israeli forces exchange fire along coast south of Beirut; Israel blocks boats leaving Jounieh, north of Beirut; PLO fights Israelis all day; guerrillas with-drawing into West Beirut.
Syria reports 2 Israeli drones shot down over Damascus; first major shipment of new USSR equipment arrives during night in Syria; contingent of 3,000 Iranian troops arrives during night; Syria says it lost 83 tanks June 10, and destroyed 164 Israeli tanks; captured Israeli tank and crew paraded in Damascus.
Casualties:
International Committee of the Red Cross estimates 500,000 people driven from their homes in southern Lebanon since June 6; 120 killed, mostly civilians, from Israeli air and sea bombardment of Beirut; Israelis shell downtown civilian areas of Beirut, destroying state-run radio; school children killed; western aid agencies say 80-90 percent of the estimated Palestinian casualties so far are civilian; Gen. Sharon says 100 Israeilis killed, 600 wounded.
Political Responses:
Israel/Occupied Territories: Gen. Sharons ays cease-fire does not extend to Palestinian guerrillas.
Arab Governments: Foreign ministers of Arab League meet in Tunis to prepare for summit on Israeli invasion (later postponed indefinitely at Lebanese request); Tunisian workers burn a US flag during protest rally sponsored by UGTT (trade union federation); a few members of Egypt's Assembly propose end to normalizing relations with Israel (rejected); Egyptian daily al-Ahram alleges US collusion with Israel as Egyptian Foreign Minister leaves for the US to discuss autonomy talks.
Military Action:
48 Israeli air strikes are reported in the areas of Nabatiyeh, Beaufort Castle, Arnoun, Hasbaya and Aichiye; Israeli jets and gun-boats bomb and strafe several dozen targets along a 25-mile corridor from Tyre to Naameh (8 miles south of Beirut); Israeli bombardment of the Chouf region (a Lebanese left stronghold) is reported; Israeli tanks move into Haddad-controlled enclave in southern Lebanon and heavy artillery batteries move into Marjayoun 6 miles inside Lebanon; Damour area attacked for two hours as Israeli helicopters conduct reconnaissance flights.
Syria's estimated 30,000 troops inside Lebanon remain uninvolved, and no Syrian aircraft engage Israeli jets.
Casualties:
PLO sources claim 130 killed, 250 wounded and 3 Israeli jets shot down yesterday; Lebanese and Palestinian sources report many civilian casualties; the Rashidiyeh refugee camp near Tyre hit; thousands of civilians jam northern road as Sidon and other southern Lebanese towns empty in fear of an Israeli attack.
Political Responses:
Israel/Occupied Territories: Military censors UN accounts of fighting inside Lebanon; Labor party urges government to "control" Lebanese action and seek to restore cease-fire, complains about lack of prior consultation; 2000 protest in Tel Aviv against Israeli hostilities and criticize Israeli policies in the "occupied territories."
Palestinians/ Lebanese: Arafat, in Saudi Arabia to mediate Iran/Iraq war, says PLO will respond strongly; Lebanese Foreign Minister Butros, noting lack of response from Arab world, asks "confrontation states" to stop being spectators, provide concrete solidarity and confrontation.
US: Secretary of State Alexander Haig, in Versailles, calls Israeli bombing of Lebanon "very serious," announces Philip Habib will seek to restore July 1981 cease-fire.
UN: Security Council meets in emergency session and issues unanimous call for cease-fire in Lebanon.