Israeli Defense Minister Warns Hezbollah Attacks Will be 'Ca

 

Ross Dunn

Israel is warning that it would strike government targets in Syria and Lebanon if these countries do not restrain the militant¹ Islamic group Hezbollah. The warning came after recent violence between Hezbollah and Israeli troops on the border with Lebanon.

Israel's deputy defense² minister, Ze'ev Boim, warns Sunday that if Hezbollah continues to escalate³ violence along the Israeli border with Lebanon, then the fighting will spread to other parts of Lebanon and Syria.

His comments came an reaction to the killing⁴ last week of one Israeli soldier and the wounding of six others in attacks by the Hezbollah, which is based in southern Lebanon.

Mr. Boim says it is clear that Israel is not only dealing⁵ with the Hezbollah, which is listed by the State Department as a terrorist organization. He says Syria is supplying the militant group with money and weapons, and is the main power broker⁶ in Lebanon, controlling activities inside that country.

Mr. Boim says that if Hezbollah is allowed to continue attacking Israel then it will be, in his words, catastrophic for Syria and Lebanon.

On Wednesday, Hezbollah gunners fired anti-aircraft shells over the western Galilee region of Israel in what the organization claimed was retaliation⁷ for violations⁸ of Lebanese airspace by Israeli warplanes earlier that day. Israeli warplanes then struck at suspected Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon.

On Thursday, Israeli troops thwarted⁹ an apparent attempt by Hezbollah fighters to cross into the Golan region, an area that Israel seized from Syria during the 1967 Middle East war.

Israeli troops patrolling the area the following day said they were fired upon by Hezbollah gunners using mortars¹¹ and anti-tank missiles.

Meanwhile, the Israeli government denied on Sunday media reports that it is in possession of a bone fragment of Israeli airman, Captain Ron Arad, who disappeared over Lebanon in 1986.

The reports said the bone fragment had been passed on by the Hezbollah, via German mediators, as part of efforts by the organization to secure a new agreement on the release of more Arab prisoners held by Israel.

注释:
Syria [5siriE] n. 叙利亚共和国（西南亚国家）
Lebanon [5lebEnEn] n. 黎巴嫩（西南亚国家）
restrain [ris5trein] vt. 制止
Hezbollah [hezbE5lB:] n.（黎巴嫩）真主党
escalate [5eskEleit] vi. 逐步增强
broker [5brEukE] n. 掮客，（买卖的）中间人
catastrophic [9kAtE5strCfik] adj. 灾难的
anti-aircraft adj. 防空用的
Galilee [5^AlE7li]  加利利（巴勒斯坦北部一多山地区）
retaliation [ri9tAli5eIFLn] n. 报复
violations [7vaiE5leiFEn] n. 侵犯
airspace [5ZEspeis] n. 领空
warplane [`wR:plein] n. （军）军用机
thwart [WwC:t] vt. 阻止
mortar¹⁰ [5mC:tE] n. 迫击炮，一种可移动的、前装式的大炮
fragment [5frA^mEnt] n. 碎片
mediators [5mi:dieitE] n. 调停者

1 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

2 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

3 escalate   

v.(使)逐步增长(或发展)，(使)逐步升级

参考例句：

• It would tempt Israel's neighbors to escalate their demands.它将诱使以色列的邻国不断把他们的要求升级。
• Defeat could cause one side or other to escalate the conflict.失败可能会导致其中一方将冲突升级。

4 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

5 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

6 broker   

n.中间人，经纪人；v.作为中间人来安排

参考例句：

• He baited the broker by promises of higher commissions.他答应给更高的佣金来引诱那位经纪人。
• I'm a real estate broker.我是不动产经纪人。

7 retaliation   

n.报复，反击

参考例句：

• retaliation against UN workers 对联合国工作人员的报复
• He never said a single word in retaliation. 他从未说过一句反击的话。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 violations   

违反( violation的名词复数 )； 冒犯； 违反（行为、事例）； 强奸

参考例句：

• This is one of the commonest traffic violations. 这是常见的违反交通规则之例。
• These violations of the code must cease forthwith. 这些违犯法规的行为必须立即停止。

9 thwarted   

阻挠( thwart的过去式和过去分词 )； 使受挫折； 挫败； 横过

参考例句：

• The guards thwarted his attempt to escape from prison. 警卫阻扰了他越狱的企图。
• Our plans for a picnic were thwarted by the rain. 我们的野餐计划因雨受挫。

10 mortar   

n.灰浆，灰泥；迫击炮；v.把…用灰浆涂接合

参考例句：

• The mason flushed the joint with mortar.泥工用灰浆把接缝处嵌平。
• The sound of mortar fire seemed to be closing in.迫击炮的吼声似乎正在逼近。

11 mortars   

n.迫击炮( mortar的名词复数 )；砂浆；房产；研钵

参考例句：

• They could not move their heavy mortars over the swampy ground. 他们无法把重型迫击炮移过那片沼泽地。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Where the hell are his mortars? 他有迫击炮吗？ 来自教父部分