But rocket attacks have intensified in numbers, frequency, and accuracy. More and more rockets rain down on Israel killing civilians and that may be the strategy of the Hezbollah. The pain inflicted on Israel's civilian population is used as bait for Israel to invade Lebanon with ground troops making them more vulnerable to snipers and guerilla warfare. Unlike past conflicts, Hezbollah is better armed, funded, and trained and possible assistance from Syria and Iran.

Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora made it clear that he expects Israel to pay for the bombs and does not hold Hezbollah, his allies in the Government responsible. Although he publicly does not support Hezbollah, he is on record saying "The government considers the resistance a natural and honest expression of the Lebanese people's national rights to liberate their land and defend their honour against Israeli aggression and threats." He is also known to be a peacenik and has the support of Bush primarily because of the distance he maintains from Syria.

The United States obviously is going to allow continued Israeli attacks till there are guarantees that the rocket attacks will stop. The US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is expected to visit this area but it is not clear what she hopes to achieve. Both Israel and Lebanon maintain adamant public positions on what they need-Israel wants rocket attacks and kidnapping to stop and Lebanon for a ceasefire and reparations from Israel.

Of late, Israel has also started attacking Lebanese army positions near Tripoli and Tyre with air and sea-based missiles as a preemptive measure to disallow their mobility. In response, the Hezbollah has been firing Syrian-produced Iranian Fajr-3 missiles that has a range of 30 kilometers, can carry 100 pounds of high explosive and shrapnel, and more accurate than the smaller Katyushas. Israel also accuses Iranian regulars of fighting with the Hezbollah a charge vehemently denied.