Israeli Troops Cross Border, Try to Kidnap Shepherd

Israeli troops crossed into south Lebanon on Wednesday and attempted to kidnap a Lebanese shepherd, state-run National News Agency reported.

“An Israeli infantry force crossed the border from the Shebaa Farms at 5:00 pm and made a 20-meter incursion into the Bustra area,” NNA said.

The advancing force then tried to abduct a Lebanese shepherd, who managed to escape, the agency added.

Such incidents are frequent in that border area and Israeli forces have abducted several Lebanese shepherds in recent years who were all released after interrogation.

Tensions have been high along the Lebanese-Israeli border since late 2015, especially in the Shebaa area which witnessed a Hizbullah attack on an Israeli patrol in response to Israel's assassination in Syria of Hizbullah top operative Samir al-Quntar.

Y.R.