IAF helicopters on Wednesday were evacuating soldiers wounded during fierce battles between the IDF and Hizbullah in the village of Bint Jbail in southern Lebanon, in which the IDF sustained heavy casualties. IDF sources reported heavy gun battles between soldiers from the Golani Brigade and Hizbullah guerrillas, and said that some of the shooting was taking place at point-blank range, in homes, and in courtyards. At least 28 soldiers were wounded in the battles. Some of the evacuations of the wounded took place under fire.

WAR IN THE NORTH: DAY 15

On Tuesday night, the IDF confirmed that a high-ranking Hizbullah leader called Al-Jafar had been killed in an IAF air strike in Lebanon. This was the first time since Operation Change of Direction began on July 12, following the abduction of two soldiers in a cross-border attack, that the army confirmed such a report. The IDF would not reveal the official's exact position but said that he was high up in the organization's hierarchy and was one of the Hizbullah's regional commanders. Earlier, IAF fighter jets destroyed 10 buildings in the Beirut neighborhood of Dahiya, home to Hizbullah command headquarters on Tuesday.

At least 28 wounded in Bint Jbail

Shooting taking place at point-blank range, in homes, and in courtyards.