Explosions in Shebaa Farms Caused by Israeli Military Drills
Explosions that were heard on Tuesday near the occupied Shebaa farms turned out to be caused by military drills carried out by the Israeli army , the state-run National News Agency reported.
According to NNA, the Israeli army launched more than 30 heavy artillery shells, specifically 120 and 155 millimeter caliber heavy artillery, during the military exercises.
The news agency pointed out that around 6:00 a.m. Israeli drones flew over over Mount Hermon (Jabal al-Sheikh) and the Kfarshouba Hills.
The drills were accompanied by patrols in the Shebaa Farms area for an hour by Israeli troops.
Meanwhile, an Israeli website reported on Monday night that Hizbullah members succeeded in infiltrating into Israel last week after an explosive device was detonated along the border.
Last week, the Israeli army said it shelled a Hizbullah position in southern Lebanon after an explosion targeted an Israeli patrol on the border.
Israel retaliated to the bombings by shelling southern Lebanon.
"In response to the explosive device activated against IDF (Israeli army) soldiers, the IDF fired towards a Hizbullah terror infrastructure in southern Lebanon. A hit was confirmed," the Israeli army said in statement.
According to the Israeli Walla! News website, “several Hizbullah fighters successfully trespassed over the border into Israel on Friday night, several hundreds of meters south of the Blue Line.”
The Israeli investigation into the incident revealed that the two bombs detonated near the border “exploded very close to three IDF officers.”
Media reports said that the Qaida-inspired Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant claimed responsibility for the bomb attack on the Israeli patrol.
On Saturday, Israeli soldiers opened warning fire at "suspects" who approached the border with Lebanon, an Israeli military spokeswoman said.
An Agence France Presse correspondent in northern Israel said the "suspects" were apparently shepherds who approached the border by mistake.
Media said the incident happened near the village of Ghajar, not far from the disputed Shebaa Farms area.
Hizbullah has recently threatened to retaliate after an air raid on the Lebanese-Syrian border in February, the first reported Israeli strike on one of its posts since a devastating 2006 summer war between the arch-foes.
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