14 Israeli soldiers were killed yesterday according to the Guardian. Remember these soldiers, at least 22 of whom have now been killed, were supposed to be trying to free 2 Israeli soldiers. By any reckoning this operation has been a failure so far. It seems like only yesterday that Meron Benvenisti was saying how the tide of opinion would turn sooner than most commentators were suggesting. Oh, it was only yesterday.

The LA Times is now reporting on how Israel has changed its war aims. To my untrained eye it looks like war is Israel's war aim. As far as that goes, their most recent efforts have been a rip roaring success.

Right now I am hearing a BBC Radio 4 report on Gaza where Israel's onslaught has continued largely unnoticed by the outside world on account of being overshadowed by events in Lebanon. A doctor from Shifa hospital in Gaza said that he has never seen such bad conditions in the hospital as now.