Battle of Bint Jbeil
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Bint Jbeil was one of the main battles of the Litani offensive in the 2006 Lebanon War. It consisted of a series of military actions and clashes in the southern Lebanese town of Bint Jbeil
, regarded as the "Hezbollah stronghold" in the south. The town is three kilometers from the Israeli border. The battle started on July 24, 2006, when the Israel Defense Forces
(IDF) approached the town. Heavy gun battles between IDF soldiers and Hezbollah guerrillas took place. Some of the shooting was taking place at point-blank range in homes and in courtyards.
On July 25, the battle began at approximately 5 A.M. when two Israeli companies from Golani Brigade
's 51st Battalion
, "A" and "C", began advancing down one of Bint Jbeil
's streets on parallel routes. Contrary to previous reports, the Hezbollah fighters were not lying in ambush. "Both sides were unaware of each other and it was actually one of our (IDF) soldiers who saw them first and opened fire." However, the Hezbollah fighters were in upper stories of buildings, and had a commanding view of the IDF troops, who were in the streets and narrow alleyways. Hezbollah fighters opened fire with small arms and antitank rockets, while other Hezbollah units flanked the IDF troops and fired on them, as well as on other IDF positions in the town. The IDF troops returned fire and fought to regain control of the situation. The fighting lasted for several hours. Some of the gunbattles took place in close quarters at point-blank range. In the initial firefight, 30 members of "C" company
, comprising one third of its total strength, were hit, and eight of them were killed. The battalion's deputy commander, Major Roi Klein
was among the dead, having been killed when he covered a grenade with his body to save his troops. Forty Hezbollah fighters were also killed, according to the IDF.
"A" company began supportive fire to enable the remaining soldiers of "C" Company to evacuate their wounded while continuing to shoot at the enemy. Two additional Golani companies were rushed in to help with the evacuation, which proceeded under a screen of smoke grenades and heavy artillery fire. Hours later, Israeli Air Force
Blackhawk helicopters managed to land under heavy fire and fly the wounded to Rambam Medical Center in Haifa
. The commanders decided not to risk pilots to evacuate the dead; they were carried out under cover of darkness by a company from the Golani Brigade's 12th Battalion.
"The battle began to their advantage. They were in a much better position, but we won and killed at least 20 Hezbollah fighters. None of the soldiers panicked, they were professional throughout, and that's our advantage over Hezbollah," commander of "A" Company said. Most of the fighting took place at extremely short-range, sometimes only a few meters, also using hand grenades and rocket-propelled grenades. The IDF said its military operations have hit dozens of militants during ongoing fighting in Bint Jbeil, a town it dubbed Hezbollah's "terror capital."
The following day, the IDF reported that it had secured the town. Hezbollah officials confirmed that IDF troops had indeed captured several positions in Bint Jbeil, but had not yet reached the city centre. Outside the town, a force of the Israeli Paratroopers Brigade was hit by a Hezbollah anti-tank missile, resulting in a gunbattle. One IDF officer was killed, and three soldiers were wounded.
On July 28, troops from the Paratroopers Brigade's 101st and 890th Battalion exchanged fire with Hezbollah and killed at least 20 Hezbollah fighters, according to Israeli sources. The fighters were of Hezbollah's elite forces, which were involved in the kidnapping of the Israeli soldiers. On July 29, the battle ended as IDF troops pulled out of Bint Jbeil, after clashes with Hezbollah left 6 Israeli soldiers wounded and some 26 Hezbollah fighters dead, according to the IDF. Armored forces continued to operate in the area, however.Since Israel left Lebanon in 2000, Hezbollah has built up the area around Bint Jbeil, according to Israeli government spokeswoman Miri Eisin. "Not only [do they have] a terrorist army, but they are sort of waiting for us to come in," she said. "They have booby-trapped the entire area. They want us to walk into those booby traps."
According to Human Rights Watch
, despite efforts to avoid civilian casualties, Lebanese civilians were also killed during this battle including a Lebanese citizen who also had US citizenship. The man was killed while trying to tend to civilians who were hit by Israeli fire and when there were no more Hezbollah fighters in the area, or any fighting at the time.
confirmed 10 of its soldiers died in the battle, although several international media organizations had initially reported 18 Israeli casualties. Dozens of Golani Brigade soldiers were evacuated into Israel. Israel claims to have killed over 80 Hezbollah militants, although Hezbollah claims to have lost 32 in the entire conflict as of July 28 and only 12 in Bint Jbeil. Hezbollah secretary Hassan Nasrallah
said that Israel suffered a "serious defeat" in ground fighting around Bint Jbeil. And on July 30, it was reported that the IDF forces withdrew from Bint Jbeil and that Hezbollah still held the area.
Teams from the Red Cross and United Nations arrived in the southern Lebanese town to survey the damage and evacuate residents, a day after heavy fighting reduced much of the area to rubble.
On the evening of August 6, the battle began again. As of August 7, Hezbollah claimed to have killed three Israeli soldiers in the town. At first, the Israeli Defense Forces confirmed only one death, a soldier from the Paratroopers Brigade. However, the Israeli Defense Forces later confirmed that two other soldiers had indeed been killed when their tank was hit by anti-tank rockets and missiles. The Israeli Defense forces claimed that they killed five Hezbollah fighters in the same round of fighting. The fighting continued as the Israeli Defense forces claimed to have killed three more Hezbollah fighters in Bint Jbeil and the nearby village of Ramiya. In addition, the Israeli military claimed to have captured five Hezbollah guerrillas in Bint Jbeil and a nearby village, Shihin. However, two Israeli soldiers, also from the Paratroopers Brigade, were killed in combat that day. Fighting continued on August 9, as two more Israeli soldiers were killed during a night offensive. As of August 9, the Israeli Defense Forces report that dozens of Israeli soldiers have been injured in fighting in around Bint Jbeil and the surrounding panhandle of Galilee. By August 12, Bint Jbeil had become part of the greater Litani offensive. As a tentative ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon began, Journalists who visited the town reported that while "Hizbullah's fighters were as elusive last week as they were deadly", on August 14 "there was no sign of Hizbullah fighters". As of September 3, the town was reported to be in the control of United Nations
peacekeeping forces, and Israeli forces had withdrawn from the area.
Some have commented that this battle had a psychological component outweighing its military significance. Uri Bar-Joseph wrote about Dan Halutz
in Haaretz
"He pushed for ineffectual military initiatives with a high casualty toll, like the conquest of Bint Jbail, which was meant to create a spectacle of victory in the place where Nasrallah delivered his "spider web" speech following the IDF pullout in May 2000."
Bint Jbeil
Bint Jbeil is the second largest town in the Nabatiye Governorate in Southern Lebanon.The town has an estimated population of 30,000. Its exact population is unknown, because Lebanon has not conducted a population census since 1932.-History:...
, regarded as the "Hezbollah stronghold" in the south. The town is three kilometers from the Israeli border. The battle started on July 24, 2006, when the Israel Defense Forces
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
(IDF) approached the town. Heavy gun battles between IDF soldiers and Hezbollah guerrillas took place. Some of the shooting was taking place at point-blank range in homes and in courtyards.
July 25–29
Late in the night of July 24th, one IDF soldier was killed when his Merkava tank flipped over after driving over a powerful landmine. Another IDF soldier was killed when an anti-tank missile hit his Merkava.On July 25, the battle began at approximately 5 A.M. when two Israeli companies from Golani Brigade
Golani Brigade
The Golani Brigade is an Israeli infantry brigade that is subordinated to the 36th Division and traditionally associated with the Northern Command. Its symbol is a green tree on a yellow background, and its soldiers wear a brown beret. It is one of the most highly decorated infantry units in the...
's 51st Battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
, "A" and "C", began advancing down one of Bint Jbeil
Bint Jbeil
Bint Jbeil is the second largest town in the Nabatiye Governorate in Southern Lebanon.The town has an estimated population of 30,000. Its exact population is unknown, because Lebanon has not conducted a population census since 1932.-History:...
's streets on parallel routes. Contrary to previous reports, the Hezbollah fighters were not lying in ambush. "Both sides were unaware of each other and it was actually one of our (IDF) soldiers who saw them first and opened fire." However, the Hezbollah fighters were in upper stories of buildings, and had a commanding view of the IDF troops, who were in the streets and narrow alleyways. Hezbollah fighters opened fire with small arms and antitank rockets, while other Hezbollah units flanked the IDF troops and fired on them, as well as on other IDF positions in the town. The IDF troops returned fire and fought to regain control of the situation. The fighting lasted for several hours. Some of the gunbattles took place in close quarters at point-blank range. In the initial firefight, 30 members of "C" company
Company (military unit)
A company is a military unit, typically consisting of 80–225 soldiers and usually commanded by a Captain, Major or Commandant. Most companies are formed of three to five platoons although the exact number may vary by country, unit type, and structure...
, comprising one third of its total strength, were hit, and eight of them were killed. The battalion's deputy commander, Major Roi Klein
Roi Klein
Roi Klein was a Major in the Golani Brigade of the Israeli Defense Forces. Klein was killed in the Battle of Bint Jbeil during the 2006 Lebanon War after jumping on a grenade to save his fellow soldiers .Klein was born in Raanana, Israel...
was among the dead, having been killed when he covered a grenade with his body to save his troops. Forty Hezbollah fighters were also killed, according to the IDF.
"A" company began supportive fire to enable the remaining soldiers of "C" Company to evacuate their wounded while continuing to shoot at the enemy. Two additional Golani companies were rushed in to help with the evacuation, which proceeded under a screen of smoke grenades and heavy artillery fire. Hours later, Israeli Air Force
Israeli Air Force
The Israeli Air Force is the air force of the State of Israel and the aerial arm of the Israel Defense Forces. It was founded on May 28, 1948, shortly after the Israeli Declaration of Independence...
Blackhawk helicopters managed to land under heavy fire and fly the wounded to Rambam Medical Center in Haifa
Haifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
. The commanders decided not to risk pilots to evacuate the dead; they were carried out under cover of darkness by a company from the Golani Brigade's 12th Battalion.
"The battle began to their advantage. They were in a much better position, but we won and killed at least 20 Hezbollah fighters. None of the soldiers panicked, they were professional throughout, and that's our advantage over Hezbollah," commander of "A" Company said. Most of the fighting took place at extremely short-range, sometimes only a few meters, also using hand grenades and rocket-propelled grenades. The IDF said its military operations have hit dozens of militants during ongoing fighting in Bint Jbeil, a town it dubbed Hezbollah's "terror capital."
The following day, the IDF reported that it had secured the town. Hezbollah officials confirmed that IDF troops had indeed captured several positions in Bint Jbeil, but had not yet reached the city centre. Outside the town, a force of the Israeli Paratroopers Brigade was hit by a Hezbollah anti-tank missile, resulting in a gunbattle. One IDF officer was killed, and three soldiers were wounded.
On July 28, troops from the Paratroopers Brigade's 101st and 890th Battalion exchanged fire with Hezbollah and killed at least 20 Hezbollah fighters, according to Israeli sources. The fighters were of Hezbollah's elite forces, which were involved in the kidnapping of the Israeli soldiers. On July 29, the battle ended as IDF troops pulled out of Bint Jbeil, after clashes with Hezbollah left 6 Israeli soldiers wounded and some 26 Hezbollah fighters dead, according to the IDF. Armored forces continued to operate in the area, however.Since Israel left Lebanon in 2000, Hezbollah has built up the area around Bint Jbeil, according to Israeli government spokeswoman Miri Eisin. "Not only [do they have] a terrorist army, but they are sort of waiting for us to come in," she said. "They have booby-trapped the entire area. They want us to walk into those booby traps."
According to Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo,...
, despite efforts to avoid civilian casualties, Lebanese civilians were also killed during this battle including a Lebanese citizen who also had US citizenship. The man was killed while trying to tend to civilians who were hit by Israeli fire and when there were no more Hezbollah fighters in the area, or any fighting at the time.
Respite
As of July 30, IsraelIsrael
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
confirmed 10 of its soldiers died in the battle, although several international media organizations had initially reported 18 Israeli casualties. Dozens of Golani Brigade soldiers were evacuated into Israel. Israel claims to have killed over 80 Hezbollah militants, although Hezbollah claims to have lost 32 in the entire conflict as of July 28 and only 12 in Bint Jbeil. Hezbollah secretary Hassan Nasrallah
Hassan Nasrallah
Hasan Nasrallah, became the third Secretary General of the Lebanese political and paramilitary organization Hezbollah after Israel assassinated the previous leader, Abbas al-Musawi, in 1992. Hezbollah in its entirety is considered a terrorist organization by The United States, the Netherlands,...
said that Israel suffered a "serious defeat" in ground fighting around Bint Jbeil. And on July 30, it was reported that the IDF forces withdrew from Bint Jbeil and that Hezbollah still held the area.
Teams from the Red Cross and United Nations arrived in the southern Lebanese town to survey the damage and evacuate residents, a day after heavy fighting reduced much of the area to rubble.
August 6–14
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
peacekeeping forces, and Israeli forces had withdrawn from the area.
Some have commented that this battle had a psychological component outweighing its military significance. Uri Bar-Joseph wrote about Dan Halutz
Dan Halutz
' is an Israeli Air Force Lt. General and former Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces and commander of the Israeli Air Force. Halutz was appointed as Chief of Staff on June 1, 2005. On January 17, 2007 he announced his resignation. He has a degree in economics. He was born to a Mizrahi...
in Haaretz
Haaretz
Haaretz is Israel's oldest daily newspaper. It was founded in 1918 and is now published in both Hebrew and English in Berliner format. The English edition is published and sold together with the International Herald Tribune. Both Hebrew and English editions can be read on the Internet...
"He pushed for ineffectual military initiatives with a high casualty toll, like the conquest of Bint Jbail, which was meant to create a spectacle of victory in the place where Nasrallah delivered his "spider web" speech following the IDF pullout in May 2000."