On July 24, Israeli troops advanced further into southern Lebanon where they encountered heavy resistance. IDF forces engaged Hezbollah guerrillas in Bint Jbail, the largest Lebanese town near the border. IDF sources reported that two Israeli soldiers were killed and 20 were wounded. Hezbollah reported that three of their fighters were killed, while Israel said there were larger casualties. Two tanks were also damaged. An Apache helicopter on its way to support the ground force in Bint Jbeil crashed in Northern Israel, killing two IAF pilots. Hezbollah stated that it shot down the helicopter; however, the IDF said the cause was under investigation and was possibly due to friendly fire. Near the end of fighting Monday, the IDF forces controlled a hilltop in Bint Jbail while Hezbollah remained in control of the rest of the city. Israel halted airstrikes in Beirut due to a surprise visit by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Airstrikes continued in south Lebanon, killing seven near Tyre. Hezbollah continued to fire rockets into Northern Israel, wounding 13 with roughly 100 rockets.
