Israel And Lebanon Exchange Fire

Lebanese and Israeli troops are reported to have exchanged fire on the border between the two countries.

According to Israel’s army radio, Lebanese army troops fired on Israeli forces as they scoured a border area for explosives.

It is reported the Israeli soldiers shot back with tanks and light weapons and Lebanese soldiers were injured.

Lebanese officials say their troops opened fire on an Israeli army bulldozer which had crossed the border.

A Lebanese army spokesman said: “An Israeli bulldozer crossed into south Lebanon.

“Our forces opened fire at it. It pulled back and there was a brief exchange of fire.”

The spokesman said there had been no Lebanese casualties.

The incident took place near the Israeli border village of Avivim, where the Israeli army said it had discovered four explosive devices on Monday.

They said they had been planted recently by the Lebanese guerrilla group Hizbollah

Hizbollah, which fought a 34-day war with Israel last year claimed it had planted the explosives before the conflict.

The Lebanese Army troops serve alongside international peacekeepers in south Lebanon in a force which is meant to maintain the UN-brokered cease-fire that ended the 34-day war.

This was the first significant eruption of violence along the border since the war, and the first clash between Israeli and Lebanese troops in years.