Wednesday, June 9, 1982

Military Action:

Over 90 Israeli jets attack and destroy Syrian SAM (surface-to-air missile) batteries in Bekaa valley; 16-22 Syrian MIGs reportedly shot down; Syria reports 19 Israeli jets shot down (air battle took place as Habib was delivering Israeli message in Damascus); Is-raelis capture Damour (say they will return it to Christian residents and help rebuild), establish bridgehead at Khalde, 4 miles south of Beirut; street fighting continues in Sidon as 2 more Israeli armored columns and infantry unit sent to consolidate control; Israeli naval vessels land troops between airport and Beirut, shell PLO-held areas of city; Israeli air-craft drop leaflets urging Beirut residents to stay off streets, mark houses with white cloth; Israeli troops in Golan boosted.

Palestinian resistance continues in Sidon; Israeli column halted near Beiteddine, with heavy losses.

Syria reports village 3 miles west of Damascus bombed (denied by Israelis); Syrians charge Israelis bombed, strafed fleeing civilians along Beirut-Damascus highway; Syria moves 16,000 more troops into Lebanon, beats back Israeli attempts to take highway.

United Nations command protests Israeli use of white phosphorous incendiary artillery in attacks on Tyre; UN food convoys barred from Tyre until June 8.

Lebanese Army gives scant resistance to Israeli advance; Lebanese army barracks in Sidon, Beiteddine and Hammana heavily bombarded by Israelis.

Casualties:

Thousands of Beirut residents flee to Bekaa valley; UN observers say Lebanese and Palestinian refugees urgently need water and food, that 41,000 Tyre residents gathered on beaches were left without food and shelter for 2 days; after Tyre residents allowed to return to homes, about 7,000 from refugee camps remain on beaches; Rashidiyeh refu-gee camp virtually destroyed; International Committee of the Red Cross reports "heavy damage" in Tyre, Sidon and that 1,200 Sidon residents urgently need medical attention. Israel reports 31 dead, 144 wounded.

Political Responses:

Israel/Occupied Territories: Israeli government blames Syria for provoking Israeli raid; still bars foreign journalists from coastal areas of southern Lebanon; Israel warns Jor-dan to stay out of fighting.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: Arafat urgently appeals to Arab countries to end the "massacre of the Palestinian people in Lebanon"; Palestinian group, reportedly followers of anti-PLO leader Abu Nidal, claim role in Argov shooting in statement delivered to Beirut AP office; Lebanese radio says Israel occupies 25 percent of Lebanese territory; Lebanese government meets, debates proposal to send Lebanese Army into West Beirut; Christian and Muslim groups urge support for Sarkis and Franjieh offers to put militia under Sarkis; Gemayel urges national unity government.

Arab Governments: Iraq announces it will withdraw from all Iranian territory in a week, redirect its efforts against Israel; Syria begins pulling troops out of Beirut back into Bekaa; Jordan's Prime Minister announces Jordan will allow transit facilities for any wishing to travel to Lebanon to fight Israel; Syria reportedly prepares to mobilize reserves; Kuwait, UAE and Qatar issue statements denouncing invasion.

US and Other Countries: US vetoes UN reso-lution condemning Israel as "unbalanced"; Reagan announces he will seek $25 m. in emergency aid for Lebanon from Congress; EEC foreign ministers condemn Israeli invasion; USSR plans to send medical supplies to Lebanon in a few days; Canada, France, Netherlands and the UK urge their citizens to leave West Beirut.