PSP and LF exchange artillery fire in Chouf area to south of Beirut; with only sporadic shooting, Tripoli cease-fire holds; Syria says its forces confronted US...
Tripoli relatively quiet, light shelling and small arms fire in and around the city as all forces resupply; LAF and militiamen exchange mortar, artillery fire in southern...
Widespread shelling of Tripoli as battle for Baddawi continues, loyalists and rebels rain artillery fire onto camp, Syrian and Libyan tanks and artillery reportedly in...
Arafat forces resist rocket and artillery attack on Baddawi camp, shells fall in Tripoli,more oil storage facilities hit; cease-fire in Tripoli accepted by combatants late...
IDF Border Police and General Security Services HQ in Tyre destroyed by car bomb, Islamic Jihad group claims responsibility; Israeli Air Force attacks PSP and Palestinian...
Baddawi and Nahr al-Bared refugee camps hit by intense tank and artillery barrages from anti-Arafat forces, Arafat says Syrian and Libyan units participate; oil storage...
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Military Action:
PSP and LF exchange artillery fire in Chouf area to south of Beirut; with only sporadic shooting, Tripoli cease-fire holds; Syria says its forces confronted US reconnaissance jet over Metn mountains; IDFconvoy attacked with light arms near Nabatiyeh.
Casualties:
2 civilians killed, 6 wounded by artillery fire in Chouf.
Political Responses:
Israel/ Occupied Territories: IDF intensifies patrols, roadblocks in West Bank, buses to travel with armed escorts or in convoy with military vehicles; windshields of Israeli buses driving near Nablus and Ramallah smashed by stones.
Palestinians/ Lebanese: Gemayel travels to Rome for 3-day visit.
Arab Governments: Assad meets Ba'ath party leaders, is seen on television for first time since November 14.
Military Action:
Syrian forces shoot down pilotless Israeli drone aircraft over Beqaa valley; PLO rebels announce open-ended cease-fire in Tripoli area; IDF reports several guerrillas killed, arms and ammunition caches seized in Beqaa.
Casualties:
Massive prisoner exchange takes place as 6 IDF POWs released by PLO, 4500 Arab prisoners, including 63 Palestinians convicted of attacks in Israel, and 37 Palestinians arrested at sea in late September by Israeli navy off the coast of tripoli, released by Israel; Ansar camp closed, 3400 prisoners remain in Lebanon, 1100 flown by Air France to Algeria; IDF returns Palestinian Research Center archives seized in Beirut during 1982 invasion.
Political Responses:
Israel/ Occupied Territories: Council of Jewish Settlements on West Bank and Gaza criticizes release of Palestinians from Israeli prisons, calls for death penalty in certain cases to prevent repetition.
Palestinians/ Lebanese: Saudi FM, in Damascus, says general agreement has been reached for cease-fire and withdrawal of all Palestinian forces in and around Tripoli, practical steps under discussion; Lebanese government announces it will break diplomatic relations with Iran, freeze relations with Libya.
US and Other Countries: White House announces that Reagan will meet Gemayel on December 1.
Military Action:
Tripoli relatively quiet, light shelling and small arms fire in and around the city as all forces resupply; LAF and militiamen exchange mortar, artillery fire in southern Beirut suburbs.
Political Responses:
Palestinians/ Lebanese: PFLP-GC leader Jibril, in Baddawi, says Arafat has 3 days to leave Tripoli: Lebanon marks 40th anniversary of its founding as a nation, shops and offices close but customary fireworks displays absent.
Arab Governments: Saudi FM, as well as delegation from Non-Aligned movement, in Damascus for talks to end Tripoli fighting.
US and Other Countries: Head of PLO political department Kaddoumi begins visit to Moscow; Reagan meets Israeli president Herzog; Weinberger says Iranians blew up Marine compound on October 23 with sponsorship, knowledge and authority of Syrian government.
Military Action:
Widespread shelling of Tripoli as battle for Baddawi continues, loyalists and rebels rain artillery fire onto camp, Syrian and Libyan tanks and artillery reportedly in action.
Casualties:
Estimates in Tripoli fighting are 15 killed, 75 wounded, damage to property extensive; rocket hits main fire station, destroys last 3 working fire engines, wounds 7 firefighters.
Political Responses:
Israel/ Occupied Territories: Tulkarem under curfew after Friday's petrol bomb attacks on Israeli targets; demonstration in Ya'abad, near Jenin, supports Arafat, IDF uses teargas, curfew imposed.
Arab Governments: Syrian Defense Minister TIlas says Syrian army ready to mount suicide attacks against US warships, Syria has missiles with range of 180 miles that can hit targets anywhere in Israel.
Military Action:
Arafat forces resist rocket and artillery attack on Baddawi camp, shells fall in Tripoli,more oil storage facilities hit; cease-fire in Tripoli accepted by combatants late in day; small arms fire directed at Marine positions in Beirut; PSP and LF militias engage in fierce artillery battles south of Aley; leader of IDF-backed militia in Kharouf shot and seriously wounded.
Casualties:
F-14 naval jet fighter on training mission from carrier John F. Kennedy crashes into Mediterranean, 2-man crew missing, presumed dead; UNRWA official in Tripoli says casualties in Nahr al-Bared fighting were exaggerated, 13 civilans were killed, 45 wounded.
Political Responses:
Palestinians/ Lebanese: Factional representatives meeting in Geneva report agreement in principle on constitutional and political changes in Lebanon, including Muslim-Christian parity in parlianment, establishment of supreme court.
Arab Governments: Delegations from Tripoli and from Gulf Cooperation Council in Damascus to discuss Tripoli cease-fire.
US and Other Countries: US State Dept. says it is revolted that once again the people of Lebanon, this time around Tripoli, are subjected to terror and injury by the radical and brutal behavior of Palestinian factions and their supporters.
Military Action:
IDF Border Police and General Security Services HQ in Tyre destroyed by car bomb, Islamic Jihad group claims responsibility; Israeli Air Force attacks PSP and Palestinian targets in Aley, Bhamdoun and Sofar areas near Beirut-Damascus highway, Syrian positions at Sofar reportedly hit, 16 T-54 tanks destroyed; heavy fighting continues in Tripoli around Baddawi and Nahr al-Bared refugee camps.
Casualties:
29 IDF personnel, mostly Druze border police, 10 Palestinian and Lebanese detainees killed, 29 Israelis, 3 Palestinians and Lebanese wounded in Tyre bombing, 7 more IDF soldiers wounded when ammunition explodes in rubble; up to 60 killed, 100 wounded in Israeli air attacks, PFLP-GC HQ destroyed; 24-hour curfew imposed on Tyre; 6 prisoners killed at Ansar when bulldozer collapses escape tunnel.
Political Responses:
Israeli/ Occupied Territories: Arens says it doesn't matter who mounteid attack on IDF HQ in Tyre, Lebanon is one big network of murderers and Israel will hit back strongly; advocate Lea Tsemel reveals that Israeli prison service used teargas against 30 Palestinian women prisoners in their cells at Neve Tertza prison on October 3 1.
Palestinians/ Lebanese: Geneva talks adjourn, Gemayel to travel to US, European and Arab capitals, talks to resume on November 14; Arafat, under fire in Tripoli, says Syrians want to eliminate him so as to gain control of PLO as part of American-Syrian deal.
US and Other Countries: US Intelligence reportedly focuses on Islamic Amal movement, based in Baalbek, as being associated with Beirut bombings; Defense Department tests and plans to order $200 million worth of Israeli-designed anti-tank weapons, to be manufactured in US.
Military Action:
Baddawi and Nahr al-Bared refugee camps hit by intense tank and artillery barrages from anti-Arafat forces, Arafat says Syrian and Libyan units participate; oil storage tanks at Tripoli port hit by artillery; IDF patrol hit by explosion near Zahrani river.
Casualties:
50-100 killed, 100-200 wounded in fighting around Tripoli; 3 IDF soldiers wounded near Zahrani.
Political Responses:
Israel/ Occupied Territories: Deposed mayors Khalaf and Shaka'a placed under house arrest to prevent official meeting with British Foreign Office minister, Shakaa also refused permission to travel to US.
Palestinians/ Lebanese: Geneva conference participants agree to put aside issue of May 17 agreement, permit Gemayel time to explore means to end Israeli occupation and ensure national sovereignty; Arafat appeals to Arab and Non-aligned heads of state for support. US and Other Countries: Donald Rumsfeld, Defense Secretary in Ford administration, succeeds McFarlane as Special Envoy to Middle East.
