2000-2006 Shebaa Farms conflict
Encyclopedia
The 2000–2006 Shebaa Farms conflict was a low level border conflict consisting of Hezbollah rocket and mortar attacks on the Israeli Defense Forces and IDF artillery barrages and air strikes in Southern Lebanon
. Clashes followed the withdrawal of Israeli troops from South Lebanon in 2000, which Hezbollah viewed as incomplete due to the presence of Israeli troops in the disputed Shebaa farms
. Fighting came to an end after the 2006 Lebanon War.
Southern Lebanon
Southern Lebanon is the geographical area of Lebanon comprising the South Governorate and the Nabatiye Governorate. These two entities were divided from the same province in the early 1990s...
. Clashes followed the withdrawal of Israeli troops from South Lebanon in 2000, which Hezbollah viewed as incomplete due to the presence of Israeli troops in the disputed Shebaa farms
Shebaa farms
The Shebaa Farms are a small uninhabited territory claimed by Lebanon, but occupied by Israel which claims they are in Syria's Golan Heights. Syrian policy is to vaguely accept the Lebanese claim, while refusing any binding demarcation until Israeli forces withdraw from the area.The United Nations...
. Fighting came to an end after the 2006 Lebanon War.
Timeline of attacks
- October 7, 2000 - Hezbollah launched a cross-border raid2000 Hezbollah cross-border raidIn the 2000 Hezbollah cross-border raid Hezbollah militants captured three IDF soldiers; Benny Avraham, Adi Avitan and Omar Sawaid, while they were patrolling the security fence along the border with Lebanon, and took them across the border. It is not clear when or under which circumstances the...
. Three IDF soldiers were killed and their bodies were captured. Five people were subsequently injured by Israeli artillery fire. - November 26, 2000 - An explosive charge was detonated while an IDF force was on a road opening mission. One soldier was killed and two wounded.
- January 31, 2001 - Six mortar bombs were fired at an Israeli outpost near the Lebanese border, causing no casualties.
- February 16, 2001 - Antitank fire hit an IDF convoy. One soldier was killed and three wounded. Israel responded with airstrikes on targets in South Lebanon.
- April 14, 2001 - An antitank missile was fired at an IDF tank, killing a soldier. In response, Israeli aircraft bombed a Syrian radar station in Lebanon, killing a Syrian soldier and injuring four others.
- June 29, 2001 - Hezbollah fighters fired antitank missiles and mortar shells at IDF positions, injuring two soldiers.
- July 1, IAF warplanes bombed a Syrian radar station in Lebanon, wounding three Syrian soldiers and a Lebanese soldiers. Hezbollah responded by shelling positions in northern Israel. IAF helicopter gunships then attacked Hezbollah positions.
- March 12, 2002 - Hezbollah fire killed six Israeli civilians, including an off-duty IDF officer.
- August 29, 2002 - One IDF soldier was killed and two soldiers were injured in rocket fire.
- December 2002 - Israeli aircraft carried out numerous airstrikes throughout Lebanon. As well as targeting roads, bridges, and ammunition depots, they also bombed several power and electrical transformer stations throughout Lebanon, leaving large parts of BeirutBeirutBeirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
and its suburbs, communities in the Chouf DistrictChouf DistrictChouf is a historic region of Lebanon, as well as an administrative district in the governorate of Mount Lebanon....
, BaalbekBaalbekBaalbek is a town in the Beqaa Valley of Lebanon, altitude , situated east of the Litani River. It is famous for its exquisitely detailed yet monumentally scaled temple ruins of the Roman period, when Baalbek, then known as Heliopolis, was one of the largest sanctuaries in the Empire...
, and Bint JbeilBint JbeilBint 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:...
without electricity. Meanwhile, Hezbollah rocket fire hit Kiryat ShmonaKiryat ShmonaKiryat Shmona is a city located in the North District of Israel on the western slopes of the Hula Valley on the Lebanese border. The city was named for the eight people, including Joseph Trumpeldor, who died in 1920 defending Tel Hai....
, killing two Israeli civilians. - May 7, 2003 - Hezbollah attacked IDF positions in Shebaa farms with rockets, mortars, and small arms, killing a soldier and wounding five.
- July 20, 2003 - Hezbollah snipers killed two IDF soldiers at a border post. The IDF retaliated with tank fire at a Hezbollah position, killing a Hezbollah operative. The IAF launched multiple flights over Lebanon, two of which generated powerful sonic booms over Beirut.
- July 22, 2003 - Two Israeli civilians in Shlomi were wounded by Hezbollah anti-aircraft shells fired at IAF warplanes over South Lebanon.
- August 3, 2003 - Hezbollah militants fired rockets and mortars at three Israeli military positions in Shebaa farms. Israel retaliated with airstrikes.
- August 10, 2003 - An Israeli teenager was killed and four civilians wounded by shrapnel from a Hezbollah anti-aircraft shell fired into northern Israel.
- October 6, 2003 - One IDF soldier was killed by Hezbollah gunfire. Hezbollah anti-tank missiles and rockets were also fired at an IDF post in the Reches Ramim area.
- January 19, 2004 - An Israeli soldier was killed and another severely wounded after a Hezbollah anti-tank missile struck an IDF armored bulldozer that crossed into Lebanon to clear explosives.
- January 20, 2004 - Israel bombed two Hezbollah bases in the Bekaa Valley, causing an unknown number of casualties.
- May 7, 2004 - Hezbollah fire killed one Israeli soldier and severely wounded two others. Afterwards, both Israel and Hezbollah shelled each other across the border.
- July 20, 2004 - Hezbollah sniper fire killed two IDF soldiers at a border post.
- January 9, 2005 - A roadside bomb attack in northern Israel killed one soldier. Afterward, Israeli retaliation killed a French UNIFIL soldier.
- April 7, 2005 - Two Israeli Arabs from GhajarGhajarGhajar is an Alawite village on the Hasbani River on the border between Lebanon and the Israeli-occupied portion of the Golan Heights. It has a population of 2,000.-Early history:...
were kidnapped by Hezbollah and held for four days, interrogated, and released. - June 2005 - An Israeli Paratrooper unit discovered three Hezbollah fighters attempting to infiltrate and opened fire, killing one.
- June 29, 2005 - After an Israeli soldier was killed and four wounded by Hezbollah mortar fire, Israeli warplanes and artillery launched attacks against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.
- June 30, 2005 - Hezbollah guerillas launched an attack on Israeli forces in Shebaa farms, wounding six soldiers. Israel responded with an airstrike, killing a Hezbollah fighter.
- November 21, 2005 - Four Hezbollah guerillas infiltrated into northern Israel using motorcycles and ATVs. The infiltrators attacked an outpost in GhajarGhajarGhajar is an Alawite village on the Hasbani River on the border between Lebanon and the Israeli-occupied portion of the Golan Heights. It has a population of 2,000.-Early history:...
manned by a paratrooper unit, and all were killed by a military sniper. In response, Israeli warplanes struck Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon; Hezbollah responded by firing mortars and rockets at Israeli outposts and villages, wounding nine soldiers and two civilians. - December 28, 2005 - After rocket fire from Lebanon hits Northern Israel, Israeli warplanes bombed a guerilla base south of Beirut.
- May 27, 2006 - In what was described as the most intense clash since the withdraw of Israeli troops in 2000, Hezbollah fired rockets into northern Israel, wounding a soldier. Israel responded by launching airstrikes on Hezbollah targets in Southern Lebanon, killing two guerillas. The Hezbollah attack may have been retaliation for the killing of Mahmoud al-MajzoubMahmoud al-MajzoubMahmoud al-Majzoub also known as Abu Hamza was a leader of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. He was wounded in a car bomb blast in Sidon on May 25, 2006 and died the next day. His brother Nidal al-Majzoub also died in the explosion...
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