He secretly read books hidden in a pipe buried in his yard - about fearless Shiite guerrillas.

Earlier Thursday, the Israelis had ambushed an enemy patrol, killing four men who officials said were Shiite Muslim guerrillas.

Most clashes, they said, involve hit-and-run attacks by Shiite guerrillas.

Lebanese Shiite Muslim guerrillas began to withdraw from southern Lebanon today after they agreed on Saturday to end attacks against Israel.

The clash came two days after Shiite guerrillas clashed with Israelis near the zone in an encounter that left three Israeli Army officers dead.

Israel occupies a 25-mile "security zone" along its border with Lebanon, and Iran is thought to train Shiite guerrillas there to attack Israeli forces.

Fighting broke out today in southern Lebanon between Israeli forces and Lebanese Shiite Muslim fundamentalist guerrillas.

British officers say the Shiite guerrillas also have ties to Iran, but it is unclear whether the Iranian government is sponsoring the attacks.

The renewed bloodshed has prompted intensified fighting that continued over the weekend with fierce exchanges between Israeli forces and Shiite guerrillas.

Shiite Muslim guerrillas killed five Israeli soldiers and wounded eight early today in an ambush in southern Lebanon.