Israel Decides Against Expanded Offensive

By Mike Shuster

Published July 27, 2006 at 6:00 AM EDT

Wednesday was the deadliest day yet for Israel in the current conflict with Hezbollah guerrillas. Nine Israeli soldiers died in fighting in the border town Bint Jbeil.

Israel decides not to expand its 17-day-old offensive in Lebanon, one day after its soldiers suffered their bloodiest day in the battle against Hezbollah.

While deciding against increasing the scope of their offensive in Lebanon, top Israeli Cabinet ministers did order the call up of thousands of additional reserve soldiers.

Nine soldiers were killed Wednesday, and two dozen were wounded, in two Lebanese towns near Israel's northern border.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Mike Shuster

Mike Shuster is an award-winning diplomatic correspondent and roving foreign correspondent for NPR News. He is based at NPR West, in Culver City, CA. When not traveling outside the U.S., Shuster covers issues of nuclear non-proliferation and weapons of mass destruction, terrorism, and the Pacific Rim.