A round of fire struck Israel from Lebanese territory on Sunday, in an incident still being investigated by the Israel Defense Forces.

Archive photo showing IDF soldier on Israel’s border with Lebanon. – Photo: Yaron Kaminsky

Reports from within Lebanon indicate that Lebanese soldiers opened fire at an Israeli force that crossed the border in Rosh Hanikra.

The IDF was concerned at first that the incident was a Lebanese attempt to distract the Israeli force to enable armed militants to cross the border, but an investigation has concluded that there was no infiltration. A senior Israeli officer said that “the IDF is prepared in the north and considering our response.”

“The IDF will continue investigating the incident, and will not tolerate any attack on the citizens of Israel. The IDF reserves the right to respond on the appropriate place at the appropriate time,” the IDF said.

The Lebanese Army also said that one of its soldiers was missing and that there was suspicion that he was being held in Israeli hands. The Lebanese army has declared high alert in the area and reported similar action on the Israeli part.

Fire was opened last week on the Israeli border with Lebanon, apparently by Lebanese snipers. The IDF forces fired back in response.

Last month, two IDF officers were wounded by an explosive device near the Israel-Lebanon border. The officers were hurt while undertaking a “planned demolition” during an operation near the border.

At the time, an IDF official said the incident was unrelated to terrorism, but rather an explosion that occurred near a base during routine operational activity.

Last August, four soldiers were wounded in an explosion that occured near the Lebanese border. The troops were involved in cross-border operations when the blast occurred.

The Lebanese Army said that in a “violation of Lebanese sovereignty”, an Israeli infantry patrol crossed the UN-designated “blue line” between the two countries and moved 400 meters inside Lebanese territory, foreign media reported.

“During the infiltration, an explosion occurred which led to a number of them being wounded,” the Lebanese military said, adding it was investigating the circumstances of the blast in coordination with UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon.

View original HAARETZ publication at: http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/1.563744