PIN-POINT STRIKE

(Commentary by Oded Granot, "Ma'ariv", Aug 26, 1998, p.A7)

Al-Amin's status in Amal was far lower than Hizballah's Secretary-General who was assassinated six years ago.

Husam al-Amin was not the number two in the Amal organization, nor was he merely a relative of the leader of the group, Nabih Berri. By way of comparison, it might be said that his place in the hierarchy was far more humble than that of Hizballah General Secretary Abbas Musawi, killed by a similar method a little over six years ago.

But Husam was a senior field operative of the organization, and as such had been involved in many operations against the IDF and South Lebanese Army in southern Lebanon, including planning attacks and mortar fire on positions. An accurate picture of his movements, which reached Israeli intelligence, enabled Israeli helicopters to direct accurate fire at their target yesterday. An operation of this kind does not violate the understandings reached after the "Grapes of Wrath" operation, and therefore does not give Amal justification for firing Katyushas at the northern Galilee by way of response. The missile fired at Husam al-Amin yesterday will not stop Shi'ite terrorism against the IDF and SLA in southern Lebanon. This will continue, and Hizballah will continue to lead in the number of attacks. Amal will continue to follow after it, although it has increased its operational activity in recent weeks.

But the advantage of the IDF operation yesterday was the fact that it hit directly at one of those responsible for the terror in southern Lebanon, and not at Lebanese civilians. It also returns the initiative to the IDF, after a long period in which the IDF had been merely responding to Hizballah and Amal attacks with artillery fire on terrorist targets in southern Lebanon.