In retaliation for Hizballah rocket attacks on n. Israel 5/4, the IDF carries out airstrikes on Lebanese power stations, shells the Beirut+nDamasucs highway, strikes Hizballah targets. At least 1 Lebanese civilian is injured. Large areas of Beirut and n. and e. Lebanon are left without power. The repairs on the 2 power stations caused by Israel's last airstrikes in early 2/00 were just completed a wk. ago. Hizballah fires a 2d round of rockets at n. Israel, but Israel decides not to respond. (WP 5/5; NYT, WP, WT 5/6; al-Quds 5/7 in WNC 5/10; MM 5/8; JP 5/12; MEI 5/19)
Iran holds run-off parliamentary elections. Initial results show reformers allied with Pres. Khatami taking 52 of the 66 remaining open seats, giving them a total of around 200 of the 290 seats. (NYT 5/6; NYT, WP 5/7) (see 2/18)
Turkey elects reformist judge Necdet Sezer as its new pres. He will take office when outgoing pres. Demirel's term ends on 5/16. (MM 5/5; ATL 5/5 in WNC 5/8; WP 5/6)
PA police detain Omar Assaf, head of the Palestinian teachers' union in the West Bank, and close Love and Peace Radio in Ramallah for airing an interview with him on 5/3. (Workers Advice Center [Ramallah] press release 5/5; LAW 5/8; JT [Internet] 5/11) (see 5/3)