Dispute erupts between Israeli troops and Lebanese
Fighting on the Israel-Lebanon border has erupted, with the violence leading to the deaths of three Lebanese soldiers, a Lebanese journalist and an Israeli officer.
An exchange of gunfire occurred during a dispute between Israeli troops and Lebanese forces on the northernmost part of the border.
The violence is said to have erupted near the village of Adaysseh when Israeli troops allegedly tried to uproot a tree on the Lebanese side.
Israel has now insisted it was clearing trees on its own side of the line when Lebanese snipers fired shots.
Israeli officials have said the first person to die was an Israeli lieutenant colonel, while another officer was seriously wounded.
At least three soldiers and a civilian were reported dead on the Lebanese side from shrapnel wounds.
Israeli army artillery then began pounding the area, while Air Force attack helicopters were sent in to bomb a Lebanese Armed Forces command center in the southern Lebanese town of Taiba. The center was heavily damaged while a number of Lebanon Army armed peronnel carriers were destroyed in the attacks.
The border has been calm for four years, since Israel battled the militant Hezbollah group, which dominates southern Lebanon with a private army.
Hezbollah was not involved in the clash, but has said it will not sit by if there is any further violence.
Source:Middle East
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