No injuries on either side • IDF: Border patrol came under sniper fire from the Lebanese side of the fence • Lebanon: IDF units crossed fence • In the West Bank, Palestinians report two killed in IDF arrest raid in Kalandia near Jerusalem.
Israel Hayom Staff
ISRAEL HAYOMAUGUST 1, 2011
A UNIFIL observer in Lebanon on Monday morning. | Photo credit: AFP | ||||||
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IDF and Lebanese Armed Forces soldiers traded fire across the Blue Line Monday morning, the IDF and Lebanese sources said. There were no casualties on either side, although initial Lebanese reports suggested one Lebanese soldier was killed in the cross-border exchange.
According to the IDF, the incident took place Monday morning near the Upper Galilee Kibbutz of Ma'ayan Baruch in the Mt. Dov border region when an IDF border patrol came under sniper fire from the Lebanese side of the fence.
The Israeli patrol returned fire at the source of the shooting, the army said.
According to reports in the Lebanese media, LAF soldiers said the IDF patrol entered Lebanese territory, an assertion rejected by the IDF, who says its unit was patrolling the border fence on the Israeli side when it came under small-arms fire from within Lebanon.
Voice of Lebanon radio station (93.3) reported that the IDF opened fire first at a Lebanese army base in the area of Mountazahat in Wazzani on Monday morning, drawing retaliatory fire.
VDL said that at around 7:00 am, an Israeli patrol opened machine gunfire from the other side of the border on the Lebanese army, which retaliated.
The exchange of fire continued for several minutes, the radio station said.
It added that the incident led to a state of alert among Lebanese army and UNIFIL troops in the area.
U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) spokesman, Neeraj Singh, confirmed on Monday the clashes that occurred in the Wazzani area between the Israeli and Lebanese armies, Lebanon's Naharnetreported.
"We can confirm that at around 7:00 am this morning there was a brief exchange of fire between the Lebanese army and the Israeli army along the Blue Line in the general area of Wazzani," he said.
Singh said, "UNIFIL peacekeepers immediately responded to the location in order to contain the situation and prevent any escalation."
Despite reports that one Lebanese soldier had been killed in the clash, Singh told Naharnet that, “No casualties have been reported."
He added that UNIFIL had opened an investigation into the exchange of fire.
Referring to the incident, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that Israel was not interested in heating up the northern border. Speaking at the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, Netanyahu said IDF troops on the scene acted correctly, and had a responsibility to defend the country, as well as themselves.
Monday's incident occurred on the day that Lebanon celebrates Army Day. Lebanese President Michel Suleiman told troops that, "Israel tried again this morning to renew its aggression in the south and the army confronted it."
Meanwhile, two Palestinians were killed Monday morning in clashes with IDF troops in the West Bank village of Kalandia, the IDF and Palestinian sources reported. The two were killed during an IDF arrest raid on the Jerusalem-area village.
The IDF spokesperson said that during an arrest procedure carried out by the Kfir Brigade, stones were thrown at troops. Five IDF soldiers were lightly wounded in the fracas that ensued, and one soldier needed medical attention.
According to Palestinian reports, two people were killed and three arrested in the raid. The IDF soldiers "fired without prejudice which led to the deaths of the two Palestinians," according to Palestinian reports carried on Israel's Army Radio.
At the Knesset, Netanyahu said the troops in Kalandia had to protect themselves from attempts to harm them.
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YNetNews
UNIFIL: IDF troops didn't cross border
UN force sides with IDF, says Lebanese army's fire on troops patrolling border was uncalled for; but Lebanese president slams Israel for aggression, tells troops: Enemy tried to revert to provocations, but you stood guard
Hanan Greenberg
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UNIFIL said Monday that Lebanese fire on IDF troops earlier in the day was uncalled for, and that the latter had not crossed into Lebanese territory, as the country's army had claimed. The facts did not stop the Lebanese president from rebuking Israel for "provocation", however.
On Monday morning Lebanese soldiers opened fire on Israeli soldiers patrolling the border, who returned fire. Lebanese news agencies reported at first that a Lebanese soldier was hurt during the exchanges of fire, but UNIFIL Spokesman Neeraj Singh later refuted the claims. READ MORE...
