Beirut, June 15.
French troops threw back yester: day afternoon a combined British infantry and tank attack on defences around Sidon and continued to maintain positions despite a systematic hammering of the area by Royal Navy Warships, French—communiques claimed last night, French planes bombed tank concentrations south of Sidon and registered direct hits. it was claimed. A hi-motored enemy plane was also shot down, The French Air Force and fleet units were taking common action against the enemy, it was stated.
There was no action south of Kisw while in the Marjayoun sector arti lery was active on both sides.
The city of Beirut was calm in the face of a possible Allied occupation, although about one-fourth of the population has left, General Henri Dentz, French High Commissioner, has ordered all gendarmes and public servants to remain at their posts under any circumstances—United Press,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.