IDF troops fire warning shots after suspect in Lebanon nears border
News site quotes army sources saying shepherd was likely gathering intelligence for Hezbollah on Israeli military operations in Mount Dov area
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Israeli soldiers fired warning shots Friday after a suspect in Lebanon neared the border with Israel.
The shepherd approached the border near Mount Dov, also known as Shebaa Farms, a contested area that is claimed by Israel, Lebanon and Syria.
He was spotted by Israel Defense Forces outlooks before troops fired warning shots in the air.
Israel Radio quoted IDF sources saying the Hezbollah terror group has increasingly been using shepherds to gather intelligence on the military’s operations in the area.
There were no reports of injuries.
The incident came after a number of recent attempts to breach the border fence, including by Sudanese migrants apparently looking for work.
Last month, Israel accused the Iran-backed Hezbollah of being responsible for vandalizing portions of the security fence along the border — which was seen in Israel as a threat — and Foreign Minister Israel Katz instructed the Foreign Ministry to file a complaint at the UN Security Council.
Also last month, IDF troops and Lebanese army soldiers faced off near the border in a highly irregular incident, with photos from the scene showing the two sides raising weapons at each other and UN personnel standing in between.
Israel has fought two wars in Lebanon, one in 1982 against Palestinian terrorists and one in 2006 against the Lebanese Hezbollah, as well as numerous operations against terror groups in the country.
The Times of Israel Community.