Hezbollah Raid Boosts Group's Image

A burned Israeli humvee that was part of a convoy attacked by Hezbollah guerillas where two Israeli soldiers were captured, is seen on a road between Zarit and Shtula in northern Israel, on the border with Lebanon, Wednesday, July 12, 2006. Hezbollah fighters launched a raid into Israel and captured two Israeli soldiers Wednesday, triggering an Israeli assault with warplanes, gunboats and ground troops in southern Lebanon to hunt for the captives. Seven Israeli soldiers and two Lebanese were killed in the violence. (AP Photo/Omer Messinger) (Omer Messinger - AP)

BEIRUT, Lebanon -- Hezbollah's leader vowed that only a prisoner swap will win the release of two Israeli soldiers after a cross-border attack Wednesday that showed the guerrilla group _ and its backers Iran and Syria _ still have the power to reignite a spiral of violence in the volatile region.

The capture of the soldiers fulfills a longtime promise by Hezbollah leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah to snatch Israelis and swap them for the remaining three Lebanese prisoners held by Israel _ boosting his standing among followers. Eight other Israeli soldiers were killed in the raid.

Nasrallah was smiling and confident at a press conference in his stronghold in south Beirut as he dubbed the raid as "Operation Truthful Promise" and sent a message to the Lebanese held by Israel: "You are now on the road to freedom."

"The (Israeli) prisoners will not return home except through one way _ indirect negotiations and a trade," he said. "Nobody in the whole world can return them home except through a (prisoners) exchange."

Hezbollah guerrillas crossed the border and launched a surprise attack on two Israeli Humvees, killing three soldiers, wounding two and capturing the two others, the Israeli army said.

Israel quickly sent armored vehicles over the border on a rescue mission, but one of the tanks rolled over a mine, killing the four soldiers inside and sparking a battle that killed another soldier, the army said.

Israel sent warplanes deep into southern Lebanon _ targeting bridges, roads and Hezbollah positions. Two Lebanese civilians and a Hezbollah fighter were killed.

Jubilant residents of south Beirut, a Hezbollah stronghold, and Palestinians in the Ein el-Hilweh refugee camp fired their guns in the air and set off firecrackers for hours after hearing about the kidnapping.

The raid strengthens the Shiite guerrilla group's image around the Arab world as the strongest anti-Israeli force, helping Palestinian Hamas-linked militants in Gaza who are locked in a parallel standoff with Israel since the kidnapping of an Israeli soldier on June 25.

Hamas leaders cheered the Hezbollah move and spoke of possible coordination of their demands for prisoner releases by Israel.

But the daring attack runs risks. Criticism of Hezbollah has grown in Lebanon the past year and could increase if Israel escalates its military retaliation and there is no swap. Already, bridges and roads have been destroyed all over southern Lebanon as Israel stepped up pressure.

Nasrallah said the kidnapping of Israeli soldiers had been plotted for the past five months, calling the move "our natural right and the only logical way ... to highlight internationally the suffering of thousands of Lebanese, Palestinian and Arab prisoners in Israeli jails."