Lebanese Military Fires on Israeli Jets
No Hits Reported, But Tensions Rise After Months of Relative Calm
Tensions along the Israeli Lebanon border are rising again, after a period of relative calm, following the latest Israeli overflight of the southern Lebanese region, in which Lebanese military forces opened fire on the planes.
Israel has conducted several overflights of the southern portion of Lebanon since the end of the 2006 invasion, though such flights are explicitly forbidden by the cease-fire resolution. This appears to be the first time Lebanese forces fired on them, however.
The Lebanese military insists it didn’t actually hit any of the Israeli warplanes, but said it did force them to climb to a higher altitude before they eventually returned across the border. The UN forces monitoring the ceasefire slammed the Israeli incursion.
In July 2006, Israeli forces invaded Lebanon following a Hezbollah attack on an Israeli patrol near the border. The fighting left 44 Israeli civilians killed and several hundred Lebanese civilians killed, though the Lebanese military did not actually take any part in the war.
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Loraine
December 31st, 2009 at 5:42 am
Israel should be punished by the UN for flying over Lebanon territory.
pwi
December 31st, 2009 at 2:31 pm
UN can't punish anyone, they can't keep the peace unless the combatants involved keep the peace. It is the responsibility of the Lebanese military to defend its airspace.
Lebanon is lucky they did not shoot down any IAF aircraft, the result while satisfying to some would have a much more sobering outcome for Lebanon.
Oldtimer
December 31st, 2009 at 3:34 pm
Israel is like a spoiled brat always provoking trouble somewhere. Imagine what they would do if any of it's neighbors flew over israel. They have been the bully on the street long enough and need to be cut off ALL USA aid.
stevieb
December 31st, 2009 at 7:47 pm
I wonder how Israel would react if Lebanese Army forces managed to shoot one or more Israeli attackers down?
One shudders to think, actually…
stevieb
December 31st, 2009 at 7:50 pm
Or even better, how would the U.S government react to an Israeli offensive after Lebanon shot down an Israeli fighter jet?
Surely the U.S couldn't stand by and let Lebanon be leveled based on a defensive action by Lebanon?
Right?
guest
December 31st, 2009 at 11:36 pm
Russians could give Lebennaon, Hezbollah, and Hamas some Igla 's just like the Carter gave Stingers to the first version of Al Qeda in Afghanistan. But they won't . What a bunch of champions !
David4400
January 1st, 2010 at 2:11 pm
"The fighting left 44 Israeli civilians killed and several hundred Lebanese civilians killed, though the Lebanese military did not actually take any part in the war."
Actually, over a thousand Lebanese civilians were killed.