2006年VOA标准英语-Israel Strikes New Targets in Lebanon

By Jim Teeple
Jerusalem
15 July 2006
 

A Lebanese firefighter tries to extinguish a flaming gas station set ablaze¹ during an Israeli warplanes attack in the southern port city of Sidon, Lebanon, Saturday, July 15, 2006  
  
Israel on Saturday carried out air strikes against targets across Lebanon, killing² at least four civilians³. More than 60 Lebanese, nearly all civilians have been killed since Israel launched a military offensive four days targeting Hezbollah guerrillas who killed eight Israeli soldiers and captured two others on Wednesday. Four Israeli civilians have been killed by Hezbollah rockets in northern Israel. Israel has also confirmed that four sailors are missing and presumed dead after a Hezbollah strike on an Israeli navy vessel⁴ late Friday.

----------

Israel targeted bridges, gas stations and fuel storage depots⁵ on Saturday. Air Force General Ido Nehushtan says Israel will use its overwhelming air superiority to push Hezbollah out of southern Lebanon.

"We are willing and prepared to do whatever it takes. We of course are looking for the restoration of peace there, but nevertheless we have the means," he said. "The larger portion of the campaign and the operation is based on attacks from the air. We are using fighters and attack helicopters and mostly precision guided munitions⁶ in the operation so far."

Israel says it holds Lebanon responsible for Hezbollah's kidnapping of two Israeli soldiers and is demanding that the Lebanese Army move into positions in southern Lebanon occupied by Hezbollah guerrillas. Lebanon's government has asked the United Nations Security Council to act immediately to stop the fighting.

President Bush has expressed concern over how the fighting might affect the stability of the Lebanese government, but says he will not make military decisions for Israel. However, he also says he blames Hezbollah for the violence.

Hezbollah has responded to the Israeli attacks with missile strikes across northern Israel. Hezbollah's leader Hassan Nasrallah has threatened to bring open war to Israel, targeting Israel's third largest city Haifa, which has already been struck for the first time in its history by Katyusha rocket fire from Lebanon. Haifa Mayor Yona Yahav says like the residents of his city he is prepared but also concerned.

"Definitely I am worried, because this is a new game and a new reality that we are being bombed by terrorists, and by rockets which can hit residential⁷ areas," said Yahav. "So, you can never know what will happen."

Meanwhile Israel continued air strikes in the Gaza Strip on Saturday, one day after Israeli ground forces pulled out of the central Gaza Strip saying they had completed their mission for the time being. Israeli forces remain in other parts of the Gaza Strip where they are continuing to search for an Israeli serviceman seized by Palestinian militants⁸ last month.

Late Friday Palestinian militants blew a hole in the border wall between Gaza and Egypt allowing hundreds of Palestinians to cross into Gaza from Egyptian territory, where they had been stranded⁹ since the border was closed two weeks ago.

1 ablaze   

adj.着火的，燃烧的；闪耀的，灯火辉煌的

参考例句：

• The main street was ablaze with lights in the evening.晚上，那条主要街道灯火辉煌。
• Forests are sometimes set ablaze by lightning.森林有时因雷击而起火。

2 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。

3 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

4 vessel   

n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管

参考例句：

• The vessel is fully loaded with cargo for Shanghai.这艘船满载货物驶往上海。
• You should put the water into a vessel.你应该把水装入容器中。

5 depots   

仓库( depot的名词复数 )； 火车站； 车库； 军需库

参考例句：

• Public transportation termini and depots are important infrastructures for a city. 公交场站设施是城市重要的基础设施。
• In the coastal cities are equipped with after-sales service and depots. 在各沿海城市均设有服务部及售后维修站。

6 munitions   

n.军火，弹药；v.供应…军需品

参考例句：

• The army used precision-guided munitions to blow up enemy targets.军队用精确瞄准的枪炮炸掉敌方目标。
• He rose [made a career for himself] by dealing in munitions.他是靠贩卖军火发迹的。

7 residential   

adj.提供住宿的；居住的；住宅的

参考例句：

• The mayor inspected the residential section of the city.市长视察了该市的住宅区。
• The residential blocks were integrated with the rest of the college.住宿区与学院其他部分结合在了一起。

8 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

9 stranded   

a.搁浅的，进退两难的

参考例句：

• He was stranded in a strange city without money. 他流落在一个陌生的城市里， 身无分文，一筹莫展。
• I was stranded in the strange town without money or friends. 我困在那陌生的城市，既没有钱，又没有朋友。