Iranian Fighters killed in heavy fighting inside Lebanon

[Divinus Arma]

Fox news (TV) just reported breaking news that Iranian fighters (troops?) have been killed fighting alongside Hizbullah in Southern Lebanon.

This is the first real proof of regional contributions other than mere arms alone. Pretty significant development if it turns out these Iranians are not lone-wolf extra-nationals. Pretty significant either way actually.

edit:
This is kind of interesting. The Lebanese President just held an interview earlier where he said:

Frayer: What about Iran? Does it wield influence here? Is that an influence that should be feared?

Lahoud: No, because you see, as I said at the beginning ... what is happening is that this is a Lebanese problem 100 per cent. But because the resistance can stand in the face of Israel and Israel cannot accept that, so they say behind it there is Iran and Syria and maybe some other countries. But in fact everybody knows everything is closed. And the ones that are fighting are all Lebanese. And the cause of the fight are all Lebanese demands. So it's purely Lebanese, but the media with the propaganda that they have (Israel) in the world, (they say they're fighting) Iran and Syria in Lebanon. Do you see any Iranians or Syrians fighting in Lebanon? This is the misconception they get in the West, in the U.S., that they are fighting, there are two blocs fighting. No.
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060807/mideast_lahoud_060808/20060808?hub=World

[Incongruous]

Oh Dear.

[Lemur]

Did anybody seriously doubt that Iran was hip-deep in this mess?

[scotchedpommes]

Wasn't the movement of the Iranian volunteers into the country already
reported weeks ago?


[Link (http://66.102.9.104/search?q=cache:zbbSGk6BGSIJ:news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060726/ap_on_re_mi_ea/mideast_fighting_iran_volunteers_1+Iranian+volunteers+Lebanon&hl=en&gl=uk&ct=clnk&cd=1&client=firefox-a).]

[Divinus Arma]

Wasn't the movement of the Iranian volunteers into the country already
reported weeks ago?

This is something new apparently.

Ulp. Foxnews just updated their site. http://www.foxnews.com/ Its in the breaking news banner. We'll see if this story has legs or not.

[Marshal Murat]

I think this is an accident as Iranian military advisors are armed and fighting. The whole war is a magic trick, a charade, pulled by Iran to keep world attention off her rapidly accelerating nuclear development.

[Banquo's Ghost]

I think this is an accident as Iranian military advisors are armed and fighting. The whole war is a magic trick, a charade, pulled by Iran to keep world attention off her rapidly accelerating nuclear development.

So Israel, is in fact, an Iranian puppet regime doing her bidding?

As for the OP, the US is shipping bombs to Israel. What exactly is news about all sides meddling in this?

[Hepcat]

Of course Iran is contributing! Though I doubt they would have sent many troops into Lebanon.

This thing isn't going to be solved easily, though it is interesting that you say it is a diversion from Iran's nuclear program because I certainly haven't heard anymore on that issue.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

And Americans, Brits, etc. fought against Franco in Spain. Of itself, their nationality means nothing. The extent to which Iran formally and/or informally acknowledges, supports, and supplies them is.

Is Iran involved -- of course. Is the USA -- we like to think not, that they are merely arms "sales," but that is, of course, a fiction.

Is Israel a puppet of Iran -- of course not. But that doesn't mean that Iran hasn't jerked their string to precipitate the reaction it desired.

We -- the USA -- are at war with Iran every bit as much as we were at war with the old Soviet Union.

[Moros]

Not so surprising but still...it's FOX...
Oh well we'll see...I guess. (Now lets hope what we'll see will be the truth.)

[Marshal Murat]

I'm not saying Israel is being manipulated by Iran, I'm saying Iran is manipulating HEZBOLLAH.
Why decide to capture 2 Israeli soldiers. It's only going to kill thier supporters in the war. I say external influence (Iran) is manipulating Hezbollah into war, diverting world attention away from the nuclear program, that would have been shut down either by diplomacy or "un-named aircraft that strikes nuclear plant)

[Kralizec]

The war was also beneficial for Hezbollah the moment they abducted, IIRC there were growing voiced in the government for Hezbollah to disarm at the time.