WRAP Israelis shoot into Lebanon; Maroun al-Ras on Israeli/Lebanon border

(23 Jul 2006) Unknown location, Israel - Lebanon border 1. Zoom in to a tank firing from the Israeli side of the border 2. Various of smoke billowing at different sites in the hills on the Lebanese side with audio of shelling 3. Wide of village on the Lebanese side 4. Roofs in foreground zoom to smoke drifting on distant hillside Maroun al-Ras, close to Israel - Lebanon border 5. Yellow Hezbollah flag flying in the wind on Lebanese side of border 6. Wide pan right, across hills of Lebanon's Maroun al-Ras village 7. Tilt down main road marking Lebanon / Israel border (Lebanon on the left and Israel on the right) 8. (SHOT 7 CONTINUES) Pan left back across hills to wide of area and Hezbollah flag flying in the wind, on Lebanese side of border Near Kiryat Shemona, northern border of Israel 10. Wide shot of Israeli military vehicles on road 11. Israeli soldiers standing by roadside 12. Armoured vehicles on back of truck 13. Long shot of tank manoeuvring 14. Military vehicles on the road 15. Various of military vehicles driving off road 16. Wide shot of military vehicles on back of trucks parked on road STORYLINE: Large explosions shook southern Lebanon on Sunday as Israel continued its bombardment of the country. Similarly, Hezbollah rockets pounded northern Israel throughout the morning, with many hitting the city of Haifa and its densely populated suburbs. Israel's defence minister said on Sunday that the 12-day-old offensive in Lebanon would continue as Israel tries to push Hezbollah guerrillas away from the border. On Saturday, Israel's tanks and bulldozers crossed the border into Lebanon and Israeli soldiers raided the village of Maroun al-Ras in several waves before finally taking control from militants, military officials said. But morning footage shot by AP Television showed a Hezbollah flag flying near Maroun al-Ras. The large border village is believed to be a launching point for rocket attacks on northern Israel, including those on the Israeli city Nazareth. About 32 local residents are taking refuge at the UN observers' post there. Almost the entire remaining population of the village, which had swelled from 1,500 to 2,300 with summer visitors before the crisis broke out, were believed to have fled, Lebanese security officials said. Many border villages are now nearly empty, but as Israeli troops advance into Lebanon, they are likely to encounter towns and villages where tens of thousands are believed still trapped in their homes. Meanwhile, more Israeli ground forces were moving towards the Israel Lebanon border on Sunday morning. A convoy of military vehicles and soldiers was seen on the highway near Kiryat Shemona in northern Israel en route to positions along the border. More than 373 people, the vast majority of them civilians, have been killed in Lebanon. Fifteen Israeli civilians and 20 soldiers have also died since the fighting erupted twelve days ago. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...