Since Thursday, most of the battles in this conflict have been fought with machine guns and the infamous “B7” bazooka. But today news reporters began adding the “106” to their jargon in a reference to 106 millimeter shells. See image below for reference (courtesy Australian military site).
These building-crushing mortars were introduced in today’s intense clashes in the hills above Beirut (top photo) throwing up plumes of smoke and conjuring up images of house-to-house civil strife. According to Hezbollah television, the battle ended in a victory against the “militia of Jumblatt” one of the most prominent pro-American leaders. If the news is accurate, and most of what Hezbollah reports is, this battle will signal yet another victory in the ever-widening dominance of the group. Analysts featured on oppostion-friendly media, such as Iranian state television, say the move will usher in a new era of freedom and justice for all Lebanese. But those who have felt terrorized by masked gunmen and civil-war style violence over the last 72 hours are not sure the future seems entirely so bright.
