Middle East: Bait for A Swap?

Bait for A Swap?

It was a precision raid. Israeli commandos landed by helicopter outside the southern Lebanese town of Gibchite early Friday morning. They slipped through the dark to their target: an apartment on the eastern edge of town belonging to Sheik Abdel Karim Obeid, chief military commander of the southern Lebanese wing of Hizballah (Party of God), the fundamentalist Shi'ite group with close ties to Iran. The Israelis burst in, locked up Obeid's wife and children, and carried Obeid and two assistants off to Israel.

Jerusalem cited ample military reasons for wanting Obeid out of action, claiming he has instigated dozens of attacks...

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