LEBANESE FIGHTERS FIRED A RELENTLESS BARRAGE INTO THE NORTHERN ISRAELI CITY OF HAIFA ON SUNDAY, KILLING NINE PEOPLE AND WOUNDING DOZENS OF OTHERS, POLICE SAID. A SUBSEQUENT ATTACK HIT A MAJOR STREET IN THE CITY, CAUSING FURTHER CASUALTIES, POLICE SAID. THE ATTACK WAS THE WORST STRIKE ON ISRAEL SINCE VIOLENCE BROKE OUT ALONG THE BORDER WITH LEBANON LAST WEEK AFTER HEZBOLLAH FIGHTERS CAPTURED TWO ISRAELI SOLDIERS IN A CROSS-BORDER RAID. FOOTAGE SHOWN ON ISRAEL'S CHANNEL 10 SHOWED SMOKE RISING OVER HAIFA, ISRAEL'S THIRD-LARGEST CITY. THE ATTACKS CAME AFTER ISRAELI WARPLANES BOMBED A MAJOR POWER STATION SOUTH OF BEIRUT. HEZBOLLAH SAID IN A STATEMENT READ ON AL-MANAR TELEVISION STATION THAT IT FIRED DOZENS OF KATYUSHA ROCKETS AT HAIFA AT 9 A.M. ROCKETS CONTINUED TO POUND THE CITY AFTER THE INITIAL ATTACK, LANDING IN MAJOR AREAS OF THE CITY. «AFTER THE ENEMY CONTINUED ALL NIGHT THEIR DESTRUCTIVE SHELLING OF (BEIRUT'S) SOUTHERN SUBURB AND OTHER AREAS ...THE RESISTANCE MOVEMENT FIRED DOZENS OF ROCKETS ON HAIFA,» THE HEZBOLLAH STATEMENT SAID. SOME OF THE ROCKETS LANDED NEAR AN OIL REFINERY, GAS STORAGE TANKS AND THE TRAIN STATION, ISRAELI POLICE AND EMERGENCY OFFICIALS SAID. AL-MANAR SAID THE HEZBOLLAH WERE TARGETING THE REFINERY. THE DEAD WERE ALL AT A TRAIN STATION IN HAIFA, WHERE A ROCKET HIT A STORAGE ROOM, POLICE SAID. POLICE SPOKESMAN MICKEY ROSENFELD SAID AT LEAST NINE PEOPLE WERE KILLED IN THE ATTACKS, ACCORDING TO A REPORT OF THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. ROCKETS FIRED BY LEBANESE MILITANTS ALSO HIT ACCO AND NAHARIYA AND SEVERAL OTHER NORTHERN TOWNS, AND RESIDENTS OF THE REGION WERE TOLD TO HEAD TO BOMB SHELTERS.
