Sabrina Tavernise, writing in The New York Times' August 13 edition, provided an eyewitness account of Israeli fighting tactics in Lebanon three days before the cease-fire was to take effect.

Residents in Southern Lebanon had been advised to flee by Israel.  Their villages were slated for demolition to destroy any possible Hezbollah rocket launching sites or arms caches.  In the descriptive words of Sabrina Tavernise:

"The cars set off down the narrow mountain road a few hours before sunset.  They were trying to leave villages the Israeli Army occupied two days before, moving with what they thought was permission to pass.

"But then the missiles came.  Shortly after nightfall Israeli aircraft fired into the convoy, containing more than a thousand Lebanese villagers."