Lebanese soldiers fired warning shots over Israeli troops conducting mine-clearing work in the area separating Lebanese territory from Israel's northern security fence. In response, IDF tank shells struck Lebanese territory, and Israel warned the Lebanese against repeated shooting.
Tensions mounted Wednesday night, but no one was injured on either side.
A spokesman for the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), issued a statement on Thursday morning calling the cross-border incident "serious." UN soldiers have been deployed in the area, while UNIFIL is in contact with the IDF and the Lebanese army.
Ever since explosives were discovered along Israel's northern border earlier this week, IDF sappers and bulldozers have been operating to remove the devices and to uncover others. On Wednesday, IDF Engineering Corps units, secured by combat troops, were deployed in a large operation to clear the area between the Lebanese international border and the Israeli fence.
Military analysts said Israel had accomplished its objectives of showing Hizbullah it would not tolerate hostile activity, without leading to a major military escalation.
Israel notified Lebanon via the United Nations forces stationed in southern Lebanon of the necessary search and destroy operations, carried out across the fence from Avivim.
Lebanon responded by threatening to open fire if IDF operations continued in the small fenced-in border area. A Lebanese army unit stationed in proximity to the area being cleared by the Israelis fired shots into the air. Israel responded with a warning of its own - that further gunfire would be met with a direct military response. When the Lebanese again fired warning shots in the area, an Israeli tank let loose two shells in the direction of the source of the gunfire.
Earlier on Wednesday, Hizbullah's Al-Manar television had reported that Israeli forces were planning a cross-border operation into Lebanese territory, but that it had been called off after negotiations between UNIFIL, Lebanese and Israeli military representatives.
Tensions mounted Wednesday night, but no one was injured on either side.
A spokesman for the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), issued a statement on Thursday morning calling the cross-border incident "serious." UN soldiers have been deployed in the area, while UNIFIL is in contact with the IDF and the Lebanese army.
Ever since explosives were discovered along Israel's northern border earlier this week, IDF sappers and bulldozers have been operating to remove the devices and to uncover others. On Wednesday, IDF Engineering Corps units, secured by combat troops, were deployed in a large operation to clear the area between the Lebanese international border and the Israeli fence.
Military analysts said Israel had accomplished its objectives of showing Hizbullah it would not tolerate hostile activity, without leading to a major military escalation.
Israel notified Lebanon via the United Nations forces stationed in southern Lebanon of the necessary search and destroy operations, carried out across the fence from Avivim.
Lebanon responded by threatening to open fire if IDF operations continued in the small fenced-in border area. A Lebanese army unit stationed in proximity to the area being cleared by the Israelis fired shots into the air. Israel responded with a warning of its own - that further gunfire would be met with a direct military response. When the Lebanese again fired warning shots in the area, an Israeli tank let loose two shells in the direction of the source of the gunfire.
Earlier on Wednesday, Hizbullah's Al-Manar television had reported that Israeli forces were planning a cross-border operation into Lebanese territory, but that it had been called off after negotiations between UNIFIL, Lebanese and Israeli military representatives.