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Lebanese inspect the damaged Casino du Liban bridge
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Rush hour interrupted<\/strong><\/p>\n For the first time, Israel targets Christian heartland, destroys 4 bridges in north Beirut JUNIEH<\/strong>: In a sharp expansion of its bombing of Lebanon, Israel for the first time targetted the Christian heartland north of capital Beirut during morning rush hour, blasting bridges on the main north-south highway.<\/p>\n So far, Israel has been targetting only Hizbullah?s strongholds in the southern parts of Beirut. There were attacks early Friday too, but surprisingly, Israeli warplanes also struck in the Christian areas north of Beirut where Hizbullah has no support and has no presence.<\/p>\n DAWN STRIKES<\/strong><\/p>\n The jets came at dawn, striking two bridges on the coastal road north of Beirut, including the main bridge near the ?Casino du Liban?, in the Christian-dominated port town of Junieh, one of the most glamorous nightspots in West Asia.<\/p>\n Moments later, they completely destroyed Fidar bridge in the village of Halat and the Madfun main bridge linking northern Lebanon with the rest of the country in the worst attacks yet on the country?s Christian heartland.<\/p>\n ?The whole war, essentially, was bad but this, in the heartland of Christian Lebanon, is not clever politically,? said a furious Camille Shamoun, an architect who lives in the fashionable residential district that tumbles down the hillside above Junieh.<\/p>\n ?Initially, I was not supporting Hizbullah but I?m sure this will change public opinion dramatically.? Large plumes of smoke billowed into the sky as two of the bridges completely collapsed and the two others were left with large holes gouged into the structures, prompting army troops to block traffic on the roadways.<\/p>\n Several cars and buses were completely destroyed. Large fires spread on mountain flanks adjacent to at least two bridges, although fire crews succeeded in bringing the blazes under control by mid-morning.<\/p>\n At least four people were killed in the strikes and rescue workers feared that other corpses were still hidden under the labyrinth of rubble and metal struts exposed by the strikes.<\/p>\n Just metres away, in a narrow street lined with deserted cafes, three Junieh residents discussed the effects of the conflict on their Christian community, painfully aware of the experience of the 1975-1990 civil war.<\/p>\n ?It is not our war. But now it has become our war,? said an elderly blue-eyed man, a discreet gold cross resting on his wrinkled chest.<\/p>\n ?We?re sitting here and the Israeli planes are watching us, they know we are having coffee? said his drinking companion, his fingers nervously fidgeting with a key chain bearing an icon of the Virgin Mary.<\/p>\n ?It?s become big, too big. Now it doesn?t seem to be about Hizbullah anymore, all of Lebanon has been dragged into this war. What have we done to deserve this?? said a third as the three, now unemployed after most businesses shut, sat in the blazing noon sun.<\/p>\n In normal times, the streets would have been full of customers of the casinos and cabarets of Junieh going home after a night?s partying. Even on Friday, curious eastern European bar workers in tank-tops descended on the scene to inspect the craters left by the aerial attack.<\/p>\n ?Of course, we are angry with Israel. Everyone blames Israel for this. After all the massacres they committed, how could they not be blamed,? seethed Kamal Saqi, a businessman whose Mercedes car was badly damaged in the strike.<\/p>\n Close to the Madfun bridge, the daughters of Lebanese Christian Joseph Bassil were yelling with grief as they mourned their father, who was killed as he was taking his morning walk by the bridge.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Lebanese inspect the damaged Casino du Liban bridge Rush hour interrupted For the first time, Israel targets Christian heartland, destroys 4 bridges in north Beirut AFP JUNIEH: In a sharp expansion of its bombing of Lebanon, Israel for the first … Continue reading
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\nRUSH HOUR INTERRUPTION<\/strong><\/p>\n