Suicide Car Bombing Kills 50 in Lebanon

A Lebanese guerrilla group said a young female guerrilla slammed an explosives-laden car into a group of Israeli military vehicles today in a suicide bombing that killed up to 50 people. Israeli officials said two Israelis were killed and two injured in the attack.

The Lebanese National Resistance Front said the attack was carried out by a 16-year-old girl who drove a Peugeot 504 packed with 440 pounds of TNT into the group of vehicles on a road between the villages of Bater and Jezzine in south Lebanon.

There was no immediate government comment from Israel.

Beirut television showed what it said was film of Sana Mohaydaleh, 16, talking about her mission before it was carried out. She was identified as a member of the pro-Syrian Popular Syrian Party.

“I decided on martyrdom to free our land because I saw the misery of my countrymen under the occupation,” the young woman said in the film. “I am feeling good because I am going to do an operation that I chose myself, an operation for my land and people.

“I hope I will be successful and able to kill the highest number possible of our enemies. I hope that my soul will unite with the souls of all the martyrs before me.”

The road between Bater and Jezzine, east of Sidon, is four miles long and runs just east of the front lines to which Israeli forces pulled back Feb. 16 after completing the first phase of their planned three-stage withdrawal from Lebanon.