75 Israeli Shells Land in Lebanon During ‘Military Exercise’

No Injuries Reported in Shebaa Farms Strikes

Tensions are rising along the Israeli-Lebanese border today as a reported 75 Israeli artillery shells exploded inside Lebanese territory during a military exercise in the occupied Golan Heights.

The shells were only part of the mystery today, as Israeli warplanes also dropped an unidentified object into a ravine in southern Lebanon during the operations. Lebanese forces have been unable to get close to the object because the area is littered with Israeli cluster bomblets from the 2006 war.

The area hit with the shells was near the border, and likely was a case of accidental fire, though it is sure to raise questions as to why the operations were so close to the contested border to begin with, even if no injuries were reported. The area around the mystery object is likely unoccupied, since cluster bombs have rendered it uninhabitable.

Lebanon’s National News Agency was quoted as identifying the shells as 75 mm, 155 mm, and 175 mm artillery shells. Israel occupied the Shebaa Farms and Golan Heights in 1967, and claims it is now part of Israel.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.