A Lebanese soldier opened fire Monday morning at IDF paratroopers patrolling the
northern border.
The army said that troops were deployed along the border
near the Hatzbani River when a Lebanese soldier opened fire.
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The Israeli
soldiers returned fire and Lebanese media reported that at least one Lebanese
soldier was wounded.
The IDF reported the incident to UNIFIL and said
that it was not interested in an escalation.
Lebanese news website
Naharnet reported that the Lebanese Armed Forces opened fire when IDF soldiers
crossed over to their side of the border. The IDF denied this and said that the
soldiers were operating in Israel.
UNIFIL eventually confirmed that the
Israel force had not entered Lebanon.
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu
said that the soldiers acted properly.
“The soldiers are determined to
defend themselves and the border,” Netanyahu said. “What’s important is that we
do not want to heat up the conflict on the border with Lebanon.”
Lebanese
President Michel Suleiman on Monday praised the LAF for defending Lebanese
sovereignty.
Hezbollah said that an IDF attack on a member of the
Lebanese army, the “resistance,” or a civilian is equivalent to “an attack on all of Lebanon."