Lebanese Army Denies Shots Fired from Lebanon after Israel Says Soldier Injured on Border
Gunfire from a vehicle in Lebanon towards Israeli forces on the border wounded an Israeli soldier on Wednesday and Israeli officers returned fire, Israel's army said, but the Lebanese army quickly denied the claims.
"Shots were fired from a passing vehicle in Lebanon at (Israeli) forces during routine activity adjacent to the border in the area of Ramin Ridge," an army statement said.
"Forces responded with fire towards the vehicle. A hit was confirmed. The injured soldier was evacuated for medical treatment," it added.
But in remarks to Lebanon's National News Agency, the Lebanese army denied that any gunshots were fired from Lebanon towards an Israeli force.
"The Israeli media reports are baseless," the Army Command said.
A source close to Hizbullah also told AFP "there were no shots fired from the Lebanese side of the border."
The U.N. peacekeeping force in Lebanon, UNIFIL, said it had received Israel's report of the incident and that an investigation had been opened.
"At the moment, UNIFIL head of mission Michael Beary is in contact with the parties to help control the situation and help prevent escalation," said UNIFIL spokesman Andrea Teneti.
"He also urged both sides to exercise maximum restraint."
Voice of Lebanon radio (93.3) meanwhile quoted security sources as saying that the Israeli soldier was wounded by "gunshots fired mistakenly by his comrades."
Lebanon and Israel are still officially at war although the border area has been relatively calm in recent years.
Israel occupied parts of Lebanon for 22 years until 2000, with Hizbullah claiming credit for its withdrawal following persistent guerrilla attacks.
A 34-day conflict in 2006 led to the deaths of 1,200 people in Lebanon, mainly civilians, and 160 Israelis, mostly soldiers.
It began when Israel retaliated for a cross-border raid in which Hizbullah captured two Israeli soldiers and killed three, and quickly spiraled into a fully fledged war.
In January, Hizbullah said it had targeted an Israeli army border patrol with a bomb in an attack that prompted retaliatory fire from Israel.
Source: Agence France Presse, Naharnet
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