Israeli tanks crossed the border into southern Lebanon in fresh fighting with Palestinian guerrillas during the early hours of Thursday morning (16 January).

There were reports that the Israelis had occupied a number of hills inside the border, including one a mile and a quarter (2 kms) from the frontier. From these strategic points, israeli artillery shelled a number of Lebanese villages, including Kfar Shouba, which had been under fire for the previous five days.

Clashes between Israeli forces and the Palestinian commandos have been continuous in the rugged frontier area since last weekend. But on Thursday, Lebanese artillery also joined in the action, bombarding the Israelis on their hilltop positions inside the border.