Will Israel officially declare war on Lebanon — and possibly Syria and/or Iran — tonight? The Magic 8-Ball says “yes.” According to BakuTODAY.net and other news sources, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud “Olmert has called an emergency cabinet meeting for 8:00 pm (1700 GMT) as the military called up a rapid-reaction force of 6,000 troops headed for Israel’s northern border.” From BakuTODAY.net:

Israeli forces pounded targets in southern Lebanon from the land, sea and air after the Hezbollah raid on an army patrol on the volatile border which Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert branded an “act of war.”

…

Olmert said he held the Beirut government fully responsible as warplanes, gunboats and artillery pounded Israel’s northern neighbour, hitting Hezbollah and civilian targets including a bridge linking the capital with the south.

“This was an act of war without any provocation on the sovereign territory… of the state of Israel,” Olmert said, as Israel lodged a formal protest with the United Nations.

“Israel will react in a decisive way so that those responsible for the attack will pay a high and painful price,” said Olmert, facing the most serious test of his leadership since his government took office in May.

“We will not hold negotiations or give in to terrorism.” 

War to be formally declared tonight?
Blogger Israel Matzav claims this inside knowlege (hat tip to Chris at Home):

One of my sources, Harvey in Efrat, claims to have it from ‘reliable sources’ that Israel is going to declare war tonight. Here’s what Harvey is telling me (for the record, I have known Harvey for 35 years - we were roommates at a youth group convention in 1971, and his sources are generally from within the IDF and are usually reliable):

RUMORS FLYING THAT EHUD OLMERT WILL BE DECLARING WAR TONIGHT (2YEARS
TOO LATE)?

3 DEAD IDF SOLDIERS IN THE NORTH, 2 IDF SOLDIERS KIDNAPPED, TRIPLE
PRONGED ATTACK, KATYUSHA, TERRORISTS ON THE GROUND SHOOTING FREELY AT

IDF OUTPOST, AND THEN CAPTURING 2 IDF SOLDIERS.

HEAVY FIGHTING GOING ON NOW..IAF KNOCKED OUT BRIDGES THROUGHOUT
SOUTHERN LEBANON, IDF NAVY SHELLING BEIRUT SUBURBS,

IN GAZA, MOHAMMED DEIF, LEADER OF HAMAS, LOST OTHER LEG AND ARM, NOT
DEAD YET FROM LAST NIGHT’S IAF AERIAL BOMBING ON A NON EMPTY BUILDING

(RABBIS SAID ”SHEHACHAYINU” [the blessing one says on happy

occasions. CiJ])

TZAV 8 [Order for general call up of reservists. CiJ] CALL UP OF
RESERVES JUST ISSUED BY DEFENSE MINISTRY,

SHLOMI MOSHAV IN THE NORTH ALL CHILDREN AND PARENTS ARE IN THE BOMB
SHELTERS,

IDF TANKS AND TROOPS HAVE CROSSED INTO LEBANON WHERE THEY LEFT 6YEARS
AGO

IDF TANKS AND TROOPS HAVE CUT GAZA STRIP IN TO TWO SECTIONS AS IAF
CONTINUES BOMBING

CENSORSHIP ON OTHER DETAILS NOW IN EFFECT BY IDF
Please note that ‘officially’ we have only been told that six soldiers

and five civilians were wounded in the north this morning. The IDF

waits to give official notice of deaths until it can notify families

and release names.

The Diplomatic Front
Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Gillerman called a press conference and stated that “today, war was declared on Israel from the northern border.”

In a letter to the UN secretary general and the current president of the Security Council Jean-Marc de la Sabliere, Gillerman wrote that the attack was a belligerent act from the sovereign territory of the Lebanese government, an act violating all UN and Security Council decisions.

USA holds Lebanon responsible
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora from Paris and urged him to release of the kidnapped Israeli prisoners. According to YNET News, “The US supported Israel’s stance, and the White House was preparing to release a statement which will fully lay responsibility on the Lebanese government and Hizbullah. According to the statement, the US supports Israel’s right to defend itself.”

The Arab League calls a meeting
According to the Associated Press, “The Arab League planned an urgent meeting on the crisis Thursday amid “fears of widening of tension and possible Israeli strike against Syria,” which backs Hezbollah, a senior league official in Cairo said, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.

What Other Bloggers are Saying
Rantings of a Sandmonkey in his post “It has begun” makes a good case that war has already begun, though thus far of a limited nature. He quotes extensively from Israeli blogs and the sentiment is quite angry, even with normally somewhat pacifist bloggers.

Raja is keeping us updated from Lebanon. His last report is that the Israeli’s are now bombing just south of Beirut.

UPDATE (3:30 CDT):  According to Reuters, Israeli airstrikes are in preparation. “Israeli Defence Minister Amir Peretz on Wednesday authorised a campaign of air strikes in Lebanon that would target both Hizbollah guerrilla installations and Lebanese civilian infrastructure, Israel’s Channel 10 said.”

UPDATE (5:35 CDT): According to  Euphoric Reality, war is looking “more and more like a sure thing.” From the Jersusalem Post:

Israel attacks within 10 miles of Beirut

OC Northern Command Maj.-Gen. Udi Adam said the IDF was preparing for a widespread operation not only against Hizbullah but also against the Lebanese government. The IDF, The Jerusalem Post learned, has drawn up plans to bomb the Beirut International Airport and other main infrastructure, including power stations in Lebanon.

“The IDF is responding with its full might by the air, the sea and the ground,” Adam said. “We are also preparing for a massive operation to defend Israeli citizens and stop the terror.”

Israel has also attacked to within 10 miles of Beirut and Israeli warplanes have been buzzing the city.

The situation in the Middle East is getting tenser by the hour. Israel is no longer making veiled threats but is talking some serious action against Lebanon and Syria. Here’s some late-breaking news from the Jerusalem Post:

Following a security consultation with Shin Bet head Yuval Diskin, Defense Minister Amir Peretz said Wednesday afternoon, “We don’t need to use threat, we need to take action. From this moment on, we demand minimal talk - let action speak for itself.”

“We know what we need to do, to complete preparations to begin operating,” the defense minister said.

Peretz added that the goal of the operation was to hit the Hizbullah “hard, so it regrets what it began this morning.”

Earlier, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert reacted to Hizbullah claims that it abducted two IDF soldiers in the north on Wednesday morning during a welcoming ceremony for visiting Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.

“These are difficult days for the State of Israel and its citizens,” Olmert said.

“There are elements in the north and in the south who are threatening our stability and are trying to test our steadfastness. They will fail, and pay a heavy price for their actions.”

Olmert also singled out Syria for sharp criticism.

“Syria has proven lately that it is a state which supports terror. Its government facilitates murderous activities by terrorists both within and without its borders. This will of course require an appropriate response to deal with Syria’s actions,” he said.

So what happens when Israel conducts serious bombing raids on Lebanon and Syria? Will other Arab countries join in?

Unless tensions cool — and there’s no evidence that they are — I’m predicting all-out war in the Middle East within days.