• Listen to this segment

GUEST: Juliana Darwiche, 16 year old Lebanese American escapes Israeli Assault

Israeli forces have invaded deeper into Lebanon, with a late night air strike and commando raid on a hospital in the town of Baalbek. The assault involved a five hour firefight, much of which was door-to-door, floor-to-floor, inside the hospital. Israel said it captured five Hezbollah fighters and killed 10 guerrillas. Sixteen civilians, including a family of seven, died in the heavy clashes and air raids. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said in a newspaper interview published today that Israel was “very close” to its goal in Lebanon. Olmert said that Israel will keep fighting Hezbollah guerrillas until a strong international force is deployed in south Lebanon, the deployment of which should come immediately after the start of a ceasefire. Meanwhile, in what seems an irony, Palestinian camps in southern Lebanon are becoming safe havens for Lebanese refugees fleeing the relentless Israeli bombardment. Officials are warning that humanitarian aid for refugees was not getting to where it was most needed.

Juliana Darwiche is a Lebanese American who returned to her homeland for a visit just days before the bombing began. She managed to return to the US in late July and now joins us in studio.