Unconfirmed reports say at least three Israeli soldiers were killed in heavy fighting in southern Lebanon on Friday. Israeli warplanes bombarded southern parts of Beirut today, as well as other parts of the city where no bombing has taken place until now.

Lebanese Red Cross rescuers carry the body of a man who was killed when an Israeli airstrike targeted the bridge of Halat, which links Beirut to northern Lebanon, Friday, Aug. 4, 2006

Heavy fighting continued Friday inside Lebanon, where forces of Israel's Northern Command are trying to carve out a 15-kilometer deep security zone. Ground forces commander, Major-General Beni Ganz, says Israel will use whatever force is necessary to achieve its goals.

Ganz says his forces are destroying Hezbollah's infrastructure to the point where Hezbollah will no longer be able to threaten Israel.

Israel's Defense Minister has reportedly asked for authority to send Israeli forces even further north - to the Litani River, about 20 kilometers inside Lebanon.

For the first time on Friday, Israeli air strikes targeted Christian areas of Beirut, as well as bridges north of the city, destroying parts of the main coastal highway to Syria. Heavy air strikes were also reported in Hezbollah-dominated neighborhoods in southern Beirut.