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Israel's military chief resigns Israel's military chief resigns
(about 4 hours later)
The head of Israel's armed forces, Lt Gen Dan Halutz, has resigned amid inquiries into last summer's conflict with Hezbollah, the military has said. The head of Israel's armed forces, Lt Gen Dan Halutz, has resigned amid inquiries into last year's conflict with Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.
Gen Halutz told PM Ehud Olmert he was quitting "as investigations have run their course", Reuters news agency quoted an army spokeswoman as saying. Gen Halutz made the decision because military inquiries into various aspects of the war had been completed, Israel's Army Radio said.
Several internal inquiries are being conducted into the government and the army's handling of the 34-day conflict. But other inquiries are still being conducted into the government's handling of the 34-day conflict.
The military was widely criticised for failing to achieve its war aims.The military was widely criticised for failing to achieve its war aims.
Gen Halutz is one of a number of top political and military leaders who have been under growing pressure to step down in the wake of the war. The BBC's Rachel Harvey in Jerusalem says every aspect of the conflict has been scrutinised and the conclusions have been damning.
"With the echoes of battle having faded, I have decided to act on my responsibility," the spokeswoman quoted him as saying in his resignation letter. The military leadership has been criticised for poor planning, poor strategy and poor execution.
Aerial barrage WAR IN LEBANON Began on 12 July 2006 and lasted 34 daysIsraeli deaths: 116 soldiers and 43 civiliansAbout 1,000 Lebanese killed, mostly civiliansExtensive damage to infrastructure, thousands of homes destroyed href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/5257128.stm" class="">Conflict facts and figures In particular, Gen Halutz is accused of relying too heavily on air power and waiting too long to send in ground troops.
Israel attacked the Lebanon-based Hezbollah after the group captured two Israeli soldiers in a cross-border raid last July. When they were sent in, many complained of being poorly equipped.
Gen Halutz said he has decided to step down now because military inquiries into the conduct of the war had been completed.
"With the echoes of battle having faded, I have decided to act on my responsibility," he is quoted as saying in his resignation letter.
State radio said Prime Minister Ehud Olmert had tried in vain to convince him to stay until the results of all the investigations were known.
Under pressure
Our correspondent says that now that the military chief has fallen on his sword, the spotlight is likely to shift back to the civilian leadership.
Beset by political scandals as well as criticism of the war, Mr Olmert is already under intense pressure, and there is no sign of any let up, she adds.
Ehud Olmert has been weakened by the conflictIsrael attacked the Lebanon-based Hezbollah after the group captured two Israeli soldiers in a cross-border raid last July.
But Israel failed to free the soldiers or soundly defeat Hezbollah before a ceasefire ended the fighting in August, with Hezbollah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah claiming a strategic victory over Israel.But Israel failed to free the soldiers or soundly defeat Hezbollah before a ceasefire ended the fighting in August, with Hezbollah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah claiming a strategic victory over Israel.
The Israeli army lost 116 soldiers. Forty-three Israeli civilians were also killed by more than 4,000 Hezbollah rocket attacks.The Israeli army lost 116 soldiers. Forty-three Israeli civilians were also killed by more than 4,000 Hezbollah rocket attacks.
About 1,000 Lebanese were killed in the conflict, mostly civilians in Israel's vast bombardment of the county and land invasion in the south.About 1,000 Lebanese were killed in the conflict, mostly civilians in Israel's vast bombardment of the county and land invasion in the south.
Gen Halutz was personally criticised for relying on aerial barrages in the early days of the war, which caused extensive damage to Lebanon's infrastructure. The war caused extensive damage to Lebanon's infrastructure.
The former air force head became chief of the armed forces in June 2005. A former air force head, Gen Halutz became chief of the armed forces in June 2005.
Several other senior army commanders have resigned over the handling of the war.