Missiles That Killed 3 in Haifa Launched from Qana

And speaking of Qana (see end of previous post), the IDF has announced that the missiles that struck Haifa on Sunday evening, Israel time, killing 3 people and wounding 160, were launched from Qana. Qana is the city where an Israeli Air Force bombing, directed at silencing rocket fire from the Lebanese town and Hezbollah stronghold, allegedly collapsed a house in which civilians were sheltered, killing 28 people, including 16 children. Apologists for Hezbollah and enemies of Israel had denied that the town had been a launch site for rocketry.

This latest outrage from Qana proves two things. First, the Israeli government had nothing to apologize for in launching the air raid on Qana. One may regret the loss of civilian lives, but only the terrorist organization that shelters its rocket launchers among civilians has anything to apologize for.

Second, as already has been demonstrated too many times in this conflict, air power is inadequate to stop Hezbollah rocket and missile attacks. The launchers are deeply embedded in bomb-proof bunkers, brought out in the vicinity of civilian buildings, and returned after their rockets are launched. Ground troops must occupy the villages and towns where the rockets are stockpiled, kill their crews and destroy the bunkers and rocket launchers. That may take weeks. It may prove costly in Israeli casualties. But it must be done if Northern Israel is ever to know security from fear again.