Shooting Erupts on Israel-Lebanon Border
Pastor Dale Morgan
Shooting Erupts on Israel-Lebanon Border*
The Associated Press
Wednesday, February 7, 2007; 5:08 PM
JERUSALEM -- Shooting erupted on the Israel-Lebanon border during an
Israeli operation to search for bombs planted by Hezbollah guerillas
late Wednesday night, the army said.
The army said troops operating in Israeli territory along the frontier
came under fire, and that the source of the shooting was apparently
Lebanese troops nearby. When the attackers refused to cease fire, the
Israeli troops opened fire at them, the army said.
The gunfire came as Israeli armored bulldozers searched for explosives
planted by Hezbollah guerrillas along the frontier, the army said.
The army said its vehicles were clearing land and searching for bombs
near the spot where Israeli troops discovered four explosive devices
planted by Hezbollah on Monday.
The bulldozers crossed the heavily guarded border fence but remained in
Israeli territory, which extends north of the fence in that area, the
army said.
Liam McDowall, a spokesman for the U.N. peacekeepers stationed in south
Lebanon, said the international force received no reports of any
incidents along the border.
Israel said the bombs it discovered on Monday were planted recently,
under the cover of bad weather, which would mean that Hezbollah violated
the U.N.-brokered cease-fire that ended the 34-day war between Israel
and Hezbollah last summer. The truce accord also requires international
peacekeepers to prevent new attacks on Israel.
Hezbollah denied the allegation, saying the explosives were planted
before the war. U.N. officials were looking into the Israeli report.