News In Brief

Marines in Beirut on alert for new kamikaze attacks

The US marines at Beirut airport are on 24-hour alert against kamikaze attacks and assaults by terrorists using existing underground tunnels, the base commander, Brig. Gen. James Joy, said Monday.

Druze snipers killed a US marine and wounded three others at the airport Monday. The marines retaliated with tank, mortar, and machine gun fire in three exchanges that shut the airport for several hours.

The Pentagon says 263 marines have died in Lebanon since US forces were deployed there in August 1982.