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IDF senior officer killed in ambush by Lebanese Army sniper

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IDF Lieutenant Colonel Dov Harari killed in border skirmish with Lebanese army Tuesday; another commander seriously wounded. Troops stepped into planned ambush, army says...

... The exchange of fire on the northern border started as IDF forces were engaging in routine operations in a border-area enclave in Israeli territory. The troops were focusing on clearing bushes along the border fence.

The IDF says the operation was undertaken in coordination with the Lebanese army. However, al-Jazeera's correspondent in Beirut Ghassan Bin Jido said the Lebanon army rejected the IDF's request to operate in the area two days earlier.

Around 10:30 am Tuesday, an IDF force comprising 10-15 soldiers approached the Lebanon border fence, where it encountered Lebanese soldiers who ordered the Israeli troops to turn back.

Several minutes later, Lebanese troops opened fire at the IDF force, which immediately responded by firing back. Three Lebanese soldiers and a local journalist were apparently killed at that point.

Lethal clash: Senior IDF commander killed in border skirmish - Israel News, Ynetnews

Seems like the Lebanise Army lost their head
 
Lebanese army, Hezbollah, they are now one for all I care.

Israel has complained to the UN security council but I doubt they'd do anything about it.
 

I saw a report on this earlier saying 3 Lebanese soldiers and one journalist had been killed but can't find that now.

However
Lebanon (Reuters) - Israeli and Lebanese troops fought a rare cross-border skirmish on Tuesday that killed four Lebanese and a senior Israeli officer in the most serious violence along the frontier since a 2006 war.

...

The Iranian-and Syrian-backed Hezbollah group, which battled Israel four years ago, took no part in the exchange of fire.

There was also no sign of any extensive Israeli preparations for a large-scale operation; an early indication the clash might not trigger a wider conflict.

Security sources and witnesses said the situation had clamed down but tension was high. Israel's northern military commander said he did not believe the clashes would lead to more violence.

The Lebanese and Israeli armies gave different descriptions of the events leading up to the skirmish, while the U.N. peacekeeping force stationed in southern Lebanon said it had yet to ascertain the circumstances leading to the bloodshed.


The Lebanese army said an Israeli patrol had crossed the technical line of the border even though U.N. peacekeepers in the area told it to stop.

"A Lebanese army force then repelled it using rocket propelled grenades. A clash happened in which the enemy forces used machine guns and tank fire targeting army posts and civilian houses," it said.

Major-General Gadi Eisenkot, chief of Israel's northern command, said: "It was a planned ambush by a sniper squad that fired at officers standing next to a position inside our territory."

He said an Israeli tank came under fire from a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG), and when it missed, the tank fired and killed the RPG squad.

Lebanon-Israel border flares up | Reuters
 
like the hamas bomb maker, another terrorist was taken out
good job!
 
I saw a report on this earlier saying 3 Lebanese soldiers and one journalist had been killed but can't find that now.

However

Lebanon-Israel border flares up | Reuters

The three Lebanese soldiers and the journalist were killed by Israeli shells that were launched after the two Israeli commanders were ambushed (and one killed) by Lebanese army sniper fire.
The Israeli commanders have stood within clear and non-disputed Israeli territory when they were hit by a surprising Lebanese army sniper fire coming from a Lebanese military outpost not so far from the border.

The reasoning for the Lebanese aggression was stated by the Lebanese army to be the removal of the tree that stood beyond the Israeli security fence.
The Israeli security fence is located some dozen of meters away from the blue line (the internationally recognized Israeli-Lebanese border), and hence there are slices of territories beyond the fence that are considered to be Israeli territories.
The specific tree was located 80 meters south from the blue line, in Israeli-territory, and a few centimeters away from the Israeli security fence.

The removal of such trees in such buffer zones became a routine activity after the 2006 war, started when Hezbollah was hiding in one of those buffer zones and has ambushed an Israeli patrol from that place, kidnapping two Israeli soldiers.
Israel says it has informed UNIFIL with the removal of the tree like it does every time, to remove suspicion.

The incident marks perhaps the first time that the Lebanese army attacks Israeli soldiers in the Israeli-Lebanese border, and this action is considered to be a violation of the UN resolution 1701.
 
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The reasoning for the Lebanese aggression was stated by the Lebanese army to be the removal of the tree that stood beyond the Israeli security fence.

Greenpeace must be happy
 
Greenpeace must be happy

I've heard that joke on three different forums today.

Another popular joke is; have you seen the Lebanese flag? Then you know why they are so sensitive about their trees.
 
like the hamas bomb maker, another terrorist was taken out
good job!

Say what know? How are the IDF terrorist? I may be pro Palestine, but that is a little bit too far.

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May he rest in peace, and my sympathy goes out to his family

The reasoning for the Lebanese aggression was stated by the Lebanese army to be the removal of the tree that stood beyond the Israeli security fence.


That doesn't make any sense. :confused: I guess the extremist of Eco friendly people ( Green Peace) must be happy that this man lost his life over a freaking tree. :2sick1:
 
Say what know? How are the IDF terrorist? I may be pro Palestine, but that is a little bit too far.

My response exactly.
I had to go over the post 3 times before I was sure my lack of food wasn't affecting my ability to read lol
 
If the current Haaretz and Jerusalem Post stories are accurate, the facts are:

1. The IDF was cutting a tree that was within Israeli territory.
2. The IDF soldiers targeted by Lebanese snipers were well within Israeli territory (some 300 yards).
3. UNIFIL had advance notice of Israel's plans to cut the tree and that the cutting would occur from within Israeli territory.
 
My response exactly.
I had to go over the post 3 times before I was sure my lack of food wasn't affecting my ability to read lol

I agree it was the same thing for me, but mine was my lack of caffine in the morrings.
 
If the current Haaretz and Jerusalem Post stories are accurate, the facts are:

1. The IDF was cutting a tree that was within Israeli territory.
2. The IDF soldiers targeted by Lebanese snipers were well within Israeli territory (some 300 yards).
3. UNIFIL had advance notice of Israel's plans to cut the tree and that the cutting would occur from within Israeli territory.

That's the Israeli version, the Lebanese claim that the IDF patrol was on the Lebanese side of the fence.

Anyways...it's just stupid, you don't start shooting at people because they cut a tree or because they're on the wrong side of a fence.
 
That's the Israeli version, the Lebanese claim that the IDF patrol was on the Lebanese side of the fence.

Anyways...it's just stupid, you don't start shooting at people because they cut a tree or because they're on the wrong side of a fence.

The Lebanese claims are claims, there are photos and pictures showing that the tree was centimeters away from the Israeli security fence, hence within Israeli territory.

The Israeli security fence is located some dozen of meters away from the blue line, which is the internationally recognized border.

Besides that the commanders shot by the sniper rifle were standing way behind the security fence, and UNIFIL was noted (like always, since it's a routine activity) about the tree cutting.

And yes, shooting people because they cut a tree, even if it was their tree, is unjustified.
 
That's the Israeli version, the Lebanese claim that the IDF patrol was on the Lebanese side of the fence.

Anyways...it's just stupid, you don't start shooting at people because they cut a tree or because they're on the wrong side of a fence.

The accounts bub, no surprise, are quite different.

The Lebanese army says Israeli soldiers crossed the border to uproot a tree which was blocking their view near the Lebanese village of Adaysseh.

A Lebanese army spokesman said troops had fired warning shots and Israel had responded with fire from artillery positions and helicopters
.

BBC News - Israel-Lebanon border clash kills five people

although in this article they declare that their territory has been violated, they claim that at first they only fired warning shots.

I have been seeing rumours for a few months that people in the Lebanon are expecting another war/attack/invasion from Israel so I imagine the situation is very tense.
 
There are by the way speculations that this has something to do with the coming decision regarding the Hariri murder.
If Hizb'Allah is to be accused, it'd want to turn the attention elsewhere, and Hizb'Allah already has a great influence on the Lebanese army.

Edit: UNIFIL says IDF activity did not warrant Lebanese fire
 
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It seems to be another prickly incident that surfaces due to the constant tension throughout the region.

Paul
 
It seems to be another prickly incident that surfaces due to the constant tension throughout the region.

Paul

That is certainly what looks the most obvious thing. Let's hope it can just be seen as that and let be.
 
lebanonbordertree.jpg


on which side of the fence is that IDF soldier?
notice they also had tanks and choppers accompanying them on this expedition to chop some lebanese fire wood
would seem that they anticipated an incident
actually, it appears they provoked the incident

as if that were even possible from an isreali government which boards - with armed troops - peaceful ships in international waters [/sarcasm]
 
lebanonbordertree.jpg


on which side of the fence is that IDF soldier?
notice they also had tanks and choppers accompanying them on this expedition to chop some lebanese fire wood
would seem that they anticipated an incident
actually, it appears they provoked the incident

as if that were even possible from an isreali government which boards - with armed troops - peaceful ships in international waters [/sarcasm]

Indeed the tree does seem to be very much on the Lebanon side. I guess that will be why the Israeli interviewed by the BBC kept saying, 'it is nothing to do with the tree'

so what's with the tree? seriously, in a tense situation, why the need to uproot a tree over the border?
 
lebanonbordertree.jpg


on which side of the fence is that IDF soldier?
notice they also had tanks and choppers accompanying them on this expedition to chop some lebanese fire wood
would seem that they anticipated an incident
actually, it appears they provoked the incident

as if that were even possible from an isreali government which boards - with armed troops - peaceful ships in international waters [/sarcasm]

Indeed the tree does seem to be very much on the Lebanon side. I guess that will be why the Israeli interviewed by the BBC kept saying, 'it is nothing to do with the tree'

so what's with the tree? seriously, in a tense situation, why the need to uproot a tree over the border?

Alexa, bubba, the Israeli security fence is not the border between Lebanon and Israel. (and neither is the lebanese security fence for that matter)
If you'd bother reading my earlier comments I believe I've stated that already.

The tree as you can see in the picture was located centimeters away from the Israeli security fence, placing it clearly on Israeli territory, land of the state of Israel, quite some dozen of meters south from the blue line. (which is the border between Israel and Lebanon)
 
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why the need to uproot a tree over the border?

The details are not clear, but if what the IDF says is right, why the need to shoot at people who uproot a tree? That's not proportionate at all.
 
Alexa, bubba, the Israeli security fence is not the border between Lebanon and Israel. (and neither is the lebanese security fence for that matter)
If you'd bother reading my earlier comments I believe I've stated that already.

The tree as you can see in the picture was located centimeters away from the Israeli security fence, placing it clearly on Israeli territory, land of the state of Israel, quite some dozen of meters south from the blue line. (which is the border between Israel and Lebanon)

Fair enough if what you say is true then that is all above board. It does seem that for some reason the Lebanese thought possibly not, or possibly it was some irritation which went too far. I remember hearing about soldiers making threatening gestures across the fence or something. (not concerning this issue but at other times)

Whatever caused it, 5 lives have been lost and my hope now is that everyone concerned calms down and that is the end to the situation.
 
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