Four Israeli troops missing after warship hit

BEIRUT, Lebanon (CNN) -- Four Israeli troops were missing Saturday following an attack on one of its warships off the Lebanese coast just minutes after Hezbollah's leader said the militant group will take aim at the warships that "attacked our civilians."

Sheik Hassan Nasrallah said in a speech broadcast Friday on Hezbollah television that Hezbollah was prepared for "open war" with Israel.

Minutes later, the Israeli warship was struck by what the Israel Defense Forces said was an unmanned aircraft packed with explosives, setting the ship ablaze and damaging its steering capability.

The IDF reported there were no casualties. Hours later, the IDF said the ship was still on fire and was being towed back to Israel.

A nearby civilian foreign ship also was hit during the attack, but the Israeli military spokeswoman said she had no details.

"You wanted an open war, you will have an open war," Nasrallah said. "You don't know who you are fighting today. You are fighting the children of Mohammed, ali Hassan and Hussein. You chose the war to fight against people who believe in their pride." (Watch Nasrallah say Hezbollah is ready for war -- 2:14)

"We are ready for it -- war, war on every level," he said.

It was unclear whether the speech, which was broadcast with audio only, was taped or live.

Since the kidnapping on Wednesday of two Israeli soldiers by Hezbollah guerrillas, which Israel says sparked the ongoing offensive, Israel has blocked ports, closed the main international airport by destroying its runways and struck strategic points around Lebanon.

Lebanese officials are urging the United Nations and the United States to intervene to halt the Israeli attacks. (Is diplomacy an option?)

Since Wednesday, 63 Lebanese, including two soldiers, have been killed and 167 others have been wounded, according to Lebanon's internal security forces. (Watch Lebanese try to cope with violence in Beirut -- 4:10)

The IDF reported that at least four Israeli civilians and eight Israeli soldiers have been killed, and more than 100 others have been wounded. (Watch an Israeli family deal with life in harm's way -- 2:02)

In his broadcast speech, Nasrallah also warned that if Israel took its offensive to Beirut that Hezbollah would exact retaliation on the northern Israeli port city of Haifa, about 30 miles from the Lebanese border.

"I will not tell you any more. If you hit the suburbs or Beirut, we will hit Haifa," he said. "We are going to an open war, to Haifa and beyond Haifa.

"We will not be the only ones who will lose their children and houses," he added.

Israel on Thursday struck numerous targets in Beirut, including the international airport, as rockets from Lebanon landed in Haifa. Hezbollah denied firing those rockets.

'Comprehensive plans'

Israel has struck targets including Hezbollah offices, weapons-storage facilities, airports, bridges and roads, including the main highway between Beirut and the Syrian capital of Damascus. (Watch how Israel targeted Hezbollah's headquarters -- 2:15

Israel has set up a naval blockade, preventing cruise ships from docking in Beirut and cutting off the fuel supply to Lebanese power plants.

Maj. Gen. Udi Adam, head of Israel's Northern Command, said Wednesday there were "comprehensive plans" to battle Hezbollah throughout Lebanon, and not just in the Islamic militia's southern stronghold. Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Daniel Ayalon said the current mission was designed to "de-fang the Hezbollah."

Nasrallah promised to "stand fast" in the face of Israeli attacks, which continued Friday.

In an unusual deal that the United States helped broker, a runway at the Beirut airport was repaired long enough to enable six planes -- one carrying former Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Nakati -- to take off. Israeli forces soon after bombed the runway again.

Israel later hit the Zahrani power plant south of Beirut, a parking lot near the Beirut airport, a tunnel to the airport, a fuel depot and two bridges, according to the Lebanese army. The IDF reported attacks on Hezbollah outposts in the south, a weapons-storage facility and three gas stations south of Sidon. (What is Hezbollah?)

The Lebanese port cities of Tripoli, Sidon and Tyre reported their ports were blocked by Israeli warships.

Nasrallah's home hit

Israel also attacked the neighborhood in southern Beirut where Nasrallah lives, and his apartment building was hit, according to the Hezbollah-run Al Manar television station. Nasrallah's family was not hurt, the station reported. Also, explosions could be heard coming from the area housing Hezbollah headquarters and the studios of a Hezbollah radio station.

Lebanese defense officials reported that Israeli warplanes hit the headquarters for the Syrian-backed Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine in eastern Lebanon as well.

Israel also launched fresh attacks Friday on the Beirut-Damascus highway.

Friday's attacks came as the Israeli Cabinet approved a continued military operation aimed at recovering the kidnapped Ehud Goldvasser, 31, and Eldad Regev, 26.

In response to the Israeli attacks, Hezbollah fighters volleyed a new wave of rockets into at least six north Israeli towns -- Carmiel, Nahariya, Safed, Hatzor, Meron and Pqui'in. according to rescue services. (Watch how Israel and Hezbollah swapped blows -- 2:08)

A woman and her 5-year-old grandson were killed by a rocket in Meron, Israeli authorities said. Also, a barrage of Katyushas hit Kiryat Shmona, according to the IDF, and Israeli television showed pictures of a rocket hitting a home in Nasariya. The occupants were wounded, according to the report.

Israelis were warned to stay away from vulnerable areas, but the government did not order them into bomb shelters.

Hezbollah, which enjoys substantial backing from Syria and Iran, is considered a terrorist organization by the United States and Israel. The group holds 23 of the 128 seats in Lebanon's parliament.

The Islamic militia has said it wants to negotiate with Israel on a prisoner exchange, a demand Israel has rebuffed, saying it would encourage more kidnappings. A third Israeli soldier is also being held captive in Gaza, where Israel has refused demands for a prisoner swap with Hamas and other groups.

Israel has exchanged prisoners with Hezbollah before, most recently in 2004 when Israel handed over more than 400 Palestinian, Lebanese and Arab prisoners for an Israeli businessman and the bodies of three Israeli soldiers. (Timeline of Israel-Lebanon conflict)

Story Tools

Subscribe to Time for $1.99

Home Page Get up-to-the minute news from CNN CNN.com gives you the latest stories and video from the around the world, with in-depth coverage of U.S. news, politics, entertainment, health, crime, tech and more.

Home Page Get up-to-the minute news from CNN CNN.com gives you the latest stories and video from the around the world, with in-depth coverage of U.S. news, politics, entertainment, health, crime, tech and more.