Mideast situation – UNTSO – Report on the status of the cease-fire

REPORT ON THE STATUS OF THE CEASE-FIRE IN THE

ISRAEL-LEBANON SECTOR

The Chief of Staff of UNTSO has submitted the following special report on developments in the Israel-Lebanon sector on 15 June 1975.

1. Increased ground and air activity was reported in the eastern part of the Israel-Lebanon sector on 15 June 1975.

2. OP Khiam (AMR 2071-3025) 1/ reported five air attacks by Israel forces jet aircraft between 0602 and 0630, 0653 and 0701, 0727 and 0738, 0814 and 08l8 and between 0827 and 0832 hours GMT.  Two to four aircraft in each instance attacked -with bombs and rockets in a total of 65 strikes a target area east of the OP.  It also reported artillery fire by Israel forces between 0804 and 0822 hours GMT, impacting north-east of the OP.

3.  At 0749 hours GMT the Chief of Staff of UNTSO proposed a cease-fire.  The proposal was accepted and the cease-fire came into effect at 0832 hours GMT.

4.  A complaint was received from the Lebanese authorities, stating that on 15 June between 0605 and 0815 hours GMT the village of Kfar Chouba (AMR 2150-3035) and the vicinity of Ebel es Saqi (AMR 2088-3065) were attacked by Israel forces jet aircraft with bombs and rockets, causing material damage. At the request of the Lebanese authorities, the Chief of Staff of UNTSO authorized an inquiry into the complaint to be conducted by United Nations military observers.  The conduct and findings of the inquiry are outlined below:

(a) The inquiry took place on 15 June from 1130 to 1255 hours GMT. A representative of the Senior Lebanese Delegate to the Israel-Lebanon Mixed Armistice Commission accompanied the inquiry team. The military observers interviewed a witness at Kfar Chouba and examined the evidence presented to them.

(b) The witness at Kfar Chouba stated that one woman had been killed and four persons wounded in an air attack on 15 June.

(c) The military observers saw at Kfar Chouba approximately 15 houses destroyed by recent bomb explosions and the remainder of the village badly damaged by explosions. They also saw one dead and two injured cows and observed material still burning in building rubble. They saw no evidence of an air attack in the vicinity of Ebel es Saqi.

(d) Based on the findings of the inquiry and on reports from OP Khiam (see para. 2 above) the complaint is confirmed in so far as the attack by Israel forces jet aircraft with bombs and rockets on the village of Kfar Chouba, causing material damage is concerned.

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1/ AMR – approximate map reference.