Evening star., 1941-06-26
Substantial Gains
West Of Damascus
Claimed by British
Campaign Against Beirut
Is Now in Final Phose,
English Declare
Ry the Associated Press.

English Declare
Ry the Associated Press.
British forces in Syria have made
substantial gains" west of Da-
mascus in the face of increased
resistance" the British command at
Cairo, Egypt, reported today.
Positions captured yesterday in
the region of Merdjayoun, Southern
Syria, are being consolidated, the
daily communique said, while Brit
iSh land guns and guns of the Brit
iSh fleet off the coast are CO.
operating in supporting the British
drive toward Beirut.
The r. A. F reported that enemy
aircraft" raided Damascus yesterday
ana caused a number of civilian
casualties. Other raids on Haifa
and Acre In Palestine, which caused
little damage. also we're reported.
The communiQue said three
French fighter planes acting as
protective patrols over our troops"
we're shot down on the Syrian front
and admitted also the loss of one
British plane.
British Planes Raid Beirut.
Extending attacks which pre-
viously had been limited to the port,
British planes today attacked the
city of Beirut itself, dispatch from
the Lebanon capital said.
The air raid began shortly after
dawn. The railroad station and
homes were hit, the attack on the
station being especially heavy.
About the same time units of the
British Mediterranean feet began
shelling French positions along the
coast south of the city.
French coastal guns opened up in
defense, forcing the ships farther
out to sea, but the naval guns
nevertheless kept up their fire.
Smelling of French positions
around Damour by British warships
and air bombing of Beirut harbor
itself marked the beginning of the
final phase of the Allied campaign
for the capture of the Lebanon capi-
tai, British sources asserted in
Jerusalem.
Australian troops who recaptured
Merdjayoun from the French were
moving toward Damour and were
reported less than IL miles from
Beirut itself.
French destroyers in the harbor
of the capital were reported attacked
by planes of the British fleets air
arm.
Engagement Near Palmyra.
In Central Syria, British columns
from Iraq were said to have en-
gagged Vlchy troops at a desert oasis
around Palmyra, an important air
base. This thrust across the middle
OF Syria toward HONS threatens to
cut the country in two.
Allied forces operating out of cap
tured Damascus occupied DER
Qanoun, y miles to the northwest,
and were approaching Dimas. on the
DamaScus-B Beirut road. Jerusalem
military spokesman said.
Vichy forces who evacuated
Merdjayoun were reported still re-
Sisting at Hasbaye, 10 miles to the
northeast.
A British advance 10 miles north
east OF occupied Damascus was ac-
knoWledged by the French in Vichy
today, but they declared heavy des-
ert fighting was being waged.
The British push is along the
road toward Nebek. between Da-
mascus and Palmyra, and, farther
north, toward HONS, which is be-
yond the oil pipe lines from Iraq to
Lebanon and at the junction Of q
railroad and major desert bus route.
Elsewhere, the French said, the
situation is relatively unchanged
with the British still held outside
Palmyra and the French re-estab-
fishing the Hasbaya positions to
which they withdrew after quitting
Merdjshoun in the South.
Damascus Raid Protested.
A Reuters, British news agency
dispatch from Jerusalem quoted
Syrian Prime Minister Khaled Bey
Azem as saying 400 bombs fell in
the thickly-populated Babtouma
quarter of Damascus and near the
tomb of Saladin during the air raid
yesterday.
An earlier dispatch said 80 per-
sons we're killed and many injured
when planes, identified by Reuters
as German. raided the Syrian cap
ital now held by the British and Free
French
The attack was sheer savagery,
Reuters quoted the Syrian as saying
after explaining there were no mill
tary objectives in the city.
Australias S official war correspon-
dent in Syria, quoting Australian
staff officers. declared today it would
not be surprising if the Vichy de-
tenders of the Levant states sought
an armistice within the next few
DAYS, the Australian radio said in a
broadcast heard by C. B. S. in New
York
Vichy authorities now have all
their reserves in action, the cor
respondent stated, and have already
tried their main thrust without sue
cess during counterattacks at Da-
mo eo1,c opS horI iauoln