SEVEN CIVILIANS WERE KILLED WEDNESDAY EVENING IN AN INTENSE ISRAELI SHELLING ON AREAS EAST OF THE SOUTHERN PORT CITY OF TYRE, LEBANESE POLICE REPORTED, ACCORDING TO DPA. AN ELDERLY COUPLE DIED WHEN THEIR HOUSE IN TAIR HARFA WAS STRUCK, AND FIVE OTHER PEOPLE WERE KILLED IN THE VILLAGE OF YAROUN WHEN THEIR THREE-STOREY HOUSE WAS DESTROYED, LEBANESE POLICE SAID. POLICE SAID THAT IN JUST ONE HOUR THE ISRAELI AIR FORCE CARRIED OUT 27 RAIDS ON VILLAGES EAST OF TYRE, WHILE 200 MORTARS BOMBED THE AREA. SO FAR THE DEATH TOLL FOR WEDNESDAY IS 19 CIVILIANS KILLED IN EASTERN LEBANON AND TEN SO FAR IN SOUTHERN REGIONS. HOSPITAL SOURCES IN TYRE SAID THE TOTAL DEATH TOLL IS NOW 627, WITH THE NUMBER OF WOUNDED REACHING 2,000 SINCE ISRAEL STARTED ITS ONSLAUGHT ON LEBANON ON JULY 12.