Release of Freedom Fighter Soha Bshara… (1)
"The collaborator militia today released prisoner Soha Bshara after nine years and ten months of imprisonment in the notorious al-Khiam detention center".

"Freedom fighter Bshara, now 31, tried to assassinate agent Antoine Lahd, the commander of the collaborator militia in November 1988".

"She was transferred through the Bater - Jezzine crossing to the liberated areas. She then met PM Rafiq Hariri in the presence of Lebanese Communist Party Secretary General Farouq Dahrouj and a number of the party's leaders at the Grand Sarrail".

"The released prisoner denied that she was released as a result of a deal which includes her travel to France one hour after her release. She said although she received an invitation to go to France, she will stay in Mar Elias (Beirut) and return to the south to continue the struggle".

"The freedom of the remaining prisoners can only be achieved with Resistance, Bshara said at a press conference as she commended all the martyrs and resistance men thanking all those who assisted in her release".

"PM Hariri said contacts are being made to secure the release of all prisoners".

"Soha Bshara is a Lebanese citizen; she has the right to stay or live anywhere in Lebanon", Hariri said.

"If she wants to go to France, its up to her, he added, denying any deals with Lahd that Bshara must go to France."

"A few hours after her release, Bshara praised Hizbullah's Secretary General his Eminence Sayyed Hassan Nassrallah, and congratulated him on the martyrdom of his son Hadi and his companion martyrs."

"She commended the role and Jihad of the Islamic Resistance against the "Israeli" enemy."

"Hizbullah politcouncil member, Mayor of Ghobaireh, Hajj Mohammed al-Khansa conveyed to the freed prisoner the greetings of Sayyed Hassan Nassrallah and the leadership of Hizbullah and presented her with a book documenting IR operations."

"Khansa hoped all the other prisoners will be released as soon as possible along with the liberation of the occupied territories".

Mazraany: A Suspicious Deal for the Release of Bshara… (2)
"Lebanese Communist Party (LCP) Politburo member Saad Allah Mazraany disclosed that there was a "suspicious deal" to deport prisoner Bshara to France."

"LCP found it strange that Bshara's family was informed by the prime minister's office that freedom fighter Bshara will be received at the government Sarrail but will leave for France after an hour to continue her studies there", Mazraany said.

"An LCP delegation headed by Secretary General Farouq Dahrouj went to the Grand Sarrail in an attempt to alter the deal, he added hinting that there was a French role in the affair."

"Bshara's release was a fruit of the pressure exerted by the forces which took part in the last swap, Mazraany said commending in particular the role played by Hizbullah and the forces that have kept this issue alive."

Raad: IR is the Hope… (3)
"For his part head of Hizbullah's political council MP Mohammed Raad said "The release of freedom fighter Soha Bshara was in response to the magnitude of the exerted pressures which interacted with the Jihad of the Resistance men to force the enemy to subdue to the will of the Lebanese people."

"As he congratulated Bshara, her family, LCP, and all Resistance men, Raad said "We are looking forward to the moment when all those suffering in Israeli prisons, on top of whom Sheikh Abdel-Karim Obeid, brother Mostafa Dirani, Hajj Jawad Qasfi and others, are released."

"The hope to achieve this great release is pinned on the Islamic Resistance and its heroes", Raad said.

"Israel" kept guessing over Hizbullah's capability to launch long-range attack (4)
"Last week's Katyusha strike into northern Galilee has rekindled fears in "Israel" that Hizbullah may possess long-range rockets with double the range of the version currently deployed by the guerrillas", security sources said.

"The sources said that "Israeli" fears of a long-range rocket attack were evident last week when civil defense units were put on alert all the way to Haifa."

"Hizbullah is equipped with the antiquated second world war 120mm Katyusha rocket, which it has used against "Israeli" positions and northern Galilee for years".

"The missile, which is designed to be launched in mass volleys, has a range of 22km, which puts the towns of Kiryat Shmona and Nahariya within range".

"Following the wounding of six civilians in Mashghara and the assassination of Amal official Hussam Amin last week, Hizbullah guerrillas launched 47 Katyushas across the border. Several targeted "Israeli" posts along the border but at least 21 struck Kiryat Shmona and the outskirts of Nahariya."

"The "Israeli" army has long believed that Hizbullah may have acquired the 240mm missile, manufactured in Iran, with a range of 40km."

"This would bring the suburbs of the coastal town of Haifa within range".

"Shiite cleric Sayed Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah suggested that Hizbullah may posses new weapons when he said on Radio Orient a week ago that "Israeli infrastructure" was now within range of the resistance."

"His comments came in reaction to calls within "Israel" to bomb Lebanon's infrastructure every time a soldier is killed in the south".

"Similar reports emerged at the end of the 1996 April war when "Israeli" helicopter gunships abruptly halted attacks on the southern suburbs of Beirut after five successive days".

"Reports suggested that Hizbullah had fired one 240mm Katyusha towards Haifa's outskirts, prompting a cessation of air strikes on Beirut for fear of further long-range salvos."

"Hizbullah, true to form, has neither confirmed nor denied the existence of the long-range Katyusha, in line with the party's policy of keeping the "Israelis" guessing over its armaments".

"Brig Gen Oded Ben-Ami, the former "Israeli" army spokesman, in August last year claimed that Hizbullah was equipped with the 240mm rocket. Two months ago, the "Israelis" asserted that Hizbullah had acquired a 122mm artillery piece and had used it to pound a border position".

"Israeli" Aggressions: (5)
In its statement, the Islamic Resistance reported the following "Israeli" aggressions:
00:00, the warplanes conducted mock air raids in the airspace of Iqleem Al-Tuffah region.
00:20, a drone espionage plane flew over Saida.
00:50, an "Israeli" warship was seen cruising off the seashore of Semmaieh and Qlayleh since the sunset.
3:15, Haddatha compound showered its surroundings with 12.7mm heavy machine gun fire.
3:20, an "Israeli" gunboat was seen sailing off the coast of Ghazieh town.
4:30, Zohaira compound targeted west of Yater village with four 155mmmissiles.
6:15, three 155mm missiles originating from Zohaira compound struck west of Yater.
7:05, Zaffateh position shelled six 155mm missiles at Aqmata plain.
8:15, the "Israeli" choppers hovered over Rihan region.
10:15, the reconnaissance planes flew, at middle altitude, in the airspace of Iqleem Al-Tuffah and East Saida areas.
10:35, the helicopters hovered over Aishieh area.
10:55, the helicopters soared over Rihan region.
11:20, the "Israeli" jets circled in the airspace of South Lebanon, whereas, an M.K. surveillance aircraft hovered in the airspace of Iqleem Al-Tuffah and East Saida regions. Meanwhile, the helicopters flew over the area of Rihan.
12:00, the reconnaissance planes circled in the airspace of Rihan areas.
12:05, the warplanes flew over the villages of Central Sector.
13:00, the warplanes were still flying in the airspace of South Lebanon, while at the same time, a drone reconnaissance plane hovered, at middle height, over Zibqeen and Majdal Zoun villages.
14:05, Haddatha compound unleashed four 120mm shells at the outskirts and forest of Haddatha town.
14:10, Haddatha compound fired several 60mm shells and a volley of 12.7mm heavy machine gun rounds at its surroundings and at the perimeters of Haddatha.
14:50, the jet airplanes flew in the airspace of Beirut and the Western Mountain Series.
Between 16:30 and 16:45, the "Israeli" fighters flew in the airspace of Beirut.
17;10, the 17th Center hit the peripheries of Beit Yahoun with two 120mm shells.
17:25, the area between Tiri and Haddatha villages came under five 155mm missiles emanating from Meis El-Jabal emplacement.
20:20, two helicopters, one of which was lightened, hovered over Manara area.
20:35, Zaffateh compound targeted Mount-Safi with five 155mm missiles.
21:05, three 155mm missiles originating from Shraifeh post fell on Mazraat Hamra. Meanwhile, an M.K. surveillance aircraft soared over the villages of Central Sector.
21:15, the drone reconnaissance planes flew high over the areas of Teffahta, Bablieh, Kfar Dounine, Chehabieh and Deir Intar, while at the same time, the helicopters soared high over Sarafand region.
21:20, a drone reconnaissance plane circled, at middle altitude, over Zawtar Gharbieh, Zawtar Sharqieh, Qaaqaiyat Al-Jisr and Sawan areas.
21:25, Bir Kallab outpost combed its surroundings with 12.7mm heavy machine gun fire. In the meantime, an M.K. surveillance aircraft hovered in the airspace of Iqleem Al-Toffah region.
21:35, the new Beit Yahoun outpost raked its surroundings with a barrage of heavy machine gun rounds.
21:40, Haddatha compound showered Haddatha village with a volley of 12.7mm heavy machine gun rounds damaging several of its houses.
21:45, a drone reconnaissance plane circled, at middle height, over Insarieh area.
22:10, Meis El-Jabal emplacement unleashed six 155mm missiles, at Mount-Zaatar. At the same time, an M.K. surveillance aircraft hovered, at middle altitude, over Jibsheit and the neighboring areas.
22:35, three 155mm missiles originating from Meis El-Jabal emplacement slammed into the outskirts of Haddatha.
22:50, an espionage plane flew over the villages of Haris, Kafra and Yater.

Thursday Mothers' Sit-in Turns into Celebration… (6)
"The Thursday Mothers today staged their weekly sit-in in front of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Beirut, in solidarity with prisoner Ghassan Saeed who was captured during a Lebanese Communist Party operation against the "Israeli" occupation."

"When the news of Bshara's release spread, the sit-in turned into a celebration. Several speakers delivered speeches stressing the need to consider the detainees issue as a priority."

"Speakers underlined that the release of Bshara was due to two main factors: the iron will of the resistance and the Lebanese people and the activity of the Follow-up Committee for Supporting the Lebanese Detainees in "Israeli" prisoners (FCLD)."

Islamic Resistance Operations: (7)
The IR released a statement in which it assumed the responsibility of the following attacks:
13:35, the IR men spotted fortification activities made by the enemy forces at Haddatha compound. Then, the squad of martyr Saeid Mustafa El-Ali targeted them with the adequate weapons. The militants were able to score direct goals. At the same time, the IR fighters observed, also, fortification works made by the enemy troops at Baraasheit position. Then, the group of martyr Hussein Abdel-Karim attached them with the suitable arms chalking up direct hits.

City Names one of its Autostrads after Martyr Hadi Nassrallah… (8)
"The municipality of Beirut today decided to name the Autostrad between Shatila and Kafaat after Martyr Sayyed Hadi Nassrallah".

"Nassrallah is the son of Hizbullah's Secretary General his Eminence Sayyed Hassan Nassrallah. He was martyred in September 1997 in the Jabal al-Rafih area during confrontations with Israeli occupation forces."

"Hizbullah secretary general today received Mayor of Beirut Mr. Abdle-Monem al-Arees who headed a delegation of the town's municipal council."

"The delegation discussed with his Eminence the proposals to develop the capital.  Sayyed Nassrallah expressed readiness to cooperate with all efforts that are in the public interest.  He thanked the City for the naming of the Autostrad "a step of a representative meaning which reaches all the resistance martyrs who are sacrificing their blood and their lives for the sake of this homeland and its just causes."