Hezbollah says no leaders killed in bunker

By MARK LAVIE, Associated Press Writer
Wed Jul 19, 7:06 PM ET

JERUSALEM - Israeli warplanes dropped bombs late Wednesday on a bunker in south Beirut where senior Hezbollah leaders were thought to be, the military said. The guerrilla group said none of its top officials were killed.

Israeli military officials said a wave of aircraft dropped 23 tons of explosives on the bunker. The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to reporters, said top Hezbollah figures were thought to be there, possibly including Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. The officials said the bunker was in the Bourj al-Barajneh section of southern Beirut.

Hezbollah later denied that a leadership bunker was hit, saying the strike targeted a mosque that was under construction and no one was killed.

The group issued a statement saying "no Hezbollah leaders or elements were killed in the strike."

"The strike hit a building that was under construction for a mosque," said the statement, issued on the group's Al-Manar TV and faxed to The Associated Press.

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