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Length: 2:47
PAULA ZAHN:
Even as the diplomats were talking today, at least
four people died, and dozens were wounded when
Israel's warplanes struck a convoy of Lebanese
military and civilian vehicles in the Bekaa Valley.
Michael Ware got there just after it happened. He
joins me now on the phone from the Bekaa Valley.
Michael, describe to us what you saw.
MICHAEL WARE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Paula, what we found
was a convoy of mostly civilian vehicles, led by some
Lebanese army trucks and jeeps, which had clearly
been struck by some kind of airstrike.
From the evidence that we saw, and from speaking to
some of the rescue workers and the locals, it appears
that this convoy had broken off from the main body of
the 1,500 civilian vehicles, who, this evening, were
trying to make their way north.
They have been given safe passage in a U.N.-brokered
deal to escape the fighting around the besieged city
of Marjayoun. When they reached the north, in the
Bekaa Valley, there was many bottlenecks and traffic
jams. It appears this is one of many that broke off
and created a different stream.
When they were hit, the military lead vehicles were
struck first. Civilian vehicles behind them then did
a U-turn, trying to escape. They, too, were hit. And
we have at least four dead and over 20 injured, seven
of whom are Lebanese soldiers -- Paula.
ZAHN: I understand that many of the civilians had
been trapped there for many weeks. What condition
were they in before this strike?
WARE: Listen, Paula, watching this convoy roll out as
it was leaving the free-fire zone -- we have been
tracking it all day down there in southern Lebanon --
the bombing was just relentless. Even as the convoy
was moving, there were bombs falling all about, even
with this supposed U.N. safe passage. And, as the
vehicles moved up the road, the bombing continued up
the road behind them, as if to close it.
When these people came out, they had been trapped in
there for weeks and weeks. It was old men, old women,
fathers, mothers, little children, all crammed into
any vehicle that would move. There were daughters
driving old mothers. It really was heartbreaking to
see the condition of these people.
As we were heading north with this convoy -- we
ourselves traveled with them -- the people here in
the villages, as they passed, stepped out onto the
street, to clap, to wave, to cheer, to hand out water
to the desperate. That's what it was like. It was a
stream of these people who were hit -- Paula.
ZAHN: And that's something that we hope to talk to
Israeli officials about a little bit later on.
Michael Ware, once again, the pictures graphically
showing what Michael is talking about.