Battle of Ayta ash-Shab

Battle of Ayta ash-Shab
Part of 2006 Lebanon War
Date July 31, 2006 - August 11, 2006 Location Ayta ash-Shab, Southern Lebanon Result Hizbollah victory, israeli withdrawal
Belligerents
Israel	Hezbollah
Casualties and losses
13 killed 50 wounded (IDF claim)	50 killed (IDF claim) 8 killed (Hezbollah claim)[1]
6 Lebanese civilians killed[1]

The Battle of Ayta ash-Shab started on July 31, 2006, during the 2006 Lebanon War. The Israeli military and Hezbollah forces engaged in the village of Ayta ash-Shab in southern Lebanon.

"There is an operation going on over there -- this is the first time troops have been in this area," an Israeli army spokesman told Reuters. Hezbollah said its guerrillas were engaging the advancing force in fierce fighting, Reuters reported.^[2]

The IDF was hitting the town with heavy shelling and 500-pound bombs. A total of five brigades were operating in the region and heavy gunfights were reported involving light machine guns and rockets.

On August 1, the IDF confirmed that 3 soldiers were killed, 25 injured as Hezbollah fighters fired anti-tank missiles at troops entering village of Ayta ash-Shab.

Israel Defense Forces said its troops had killed or wounded 20 Hezbollah forces in battles Tuesday. Hezbollah said four of its forces died in the fighting.

On August 2, paratroopers continued exchanging fire with Hezbollah guerillas in the village. The IDF said that 7 Hezbollah fighters were killed and 10 wounded. Israel said that 1 IDF soldier was killed, 2 were seriously wounded, and 12 were lightly wounded in the fighting, which began before dawn Wednesday.

Four Israeli army soldiers were killed before noon on August 9, after an antitank missile fired by Hezbollah gunmen hit and destroyed an IDF tank in the village. The tank that was struck belonged to the 847 reserve brigade, which has been operating in the sector under the command of the Carmeli reserve brigade. IDF sources reported that immediately after the attack, the tank caught fire and soldiers were unable to approach it.

IDF sources assessed that a Kornet-type missile hit the tank, probably from close range. The fire that had erupted in the tank led officials to believe that the tanks' fire extinguisher system had failed to function. [1]

On August 12, the Battle of Ayta ash-Shab became part of the broader Litani offensive. Fighting continued with five soldiers killed in the town and another 25 wounded on August 13. Israel said that 50 Hezbollah fighters were killed in fighting and put its own losses at 13 soldiers killed and 50 wounded. However, Hezbollah fighters who had fought in the battle said that only 8 fighters were killed.

Sources

• Israel warns Lebanese to clear out", CNN, 2006-08-01
• Greenberg, Hanan, "IDF casualties in south Lebanon", Ynetnews, 2006-08-01
• Katz, Yaakov, "25 troops wounded in clashes with Hizbullah in Ayta a-Shab", The Jerusalem Post, 2006-08-01
• Three IDF soldiers killed in fierce battles with Hezbollah in south Lebanon village of Ayta a-Shab, Haaretz, 2006-08-01
• Troops recount moments of horror, Jerusalem Post, 2006-08-02
• [2]

References