Fog of war

The Israeli newspaper Haaretz gives a much more damning account of the latest IDF action than does AP.

From Haaretz:

Witnesses in Baalbek said they saw dozens of IAF helicopters hovering over the city. They said the hospital in Baalbek, filled with patients and wounded people, was bombed by IAF helicopters late Tuesday. Plumes of burning smoke billowed from the hospital after it was directly hit, they said.

From AP:

Witnesses said Israeli forces partially destroyed the Dar al-Hikma hospital in Baalbek, where chief Hezbollah spokesman Hussein Rahal said fighting raged for more than one hour. The hospital, which residents said is financed by an Iranian charity that is close to Hezbollah, was empty of patients at the time of the raid, the guerrilla group said.

"It was empty last night, there was no one there," a spokesman said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to give official statements to the media.

Olmert denied claims the forces attacked a hospital, saying "there are no patients there and there is no hospital, this is a base of the Hezbollah in disguise."

Haaretz describes Baalbek as "an ancient city with spectacular Roman ruins." I guess those Roman ruins will have plenty of company now.