Lebanese state media claims IDF seized shepherd from south Lebanon border town
Lebanese army said to confirm second such incident this week; IDF says it doesn’t comment on foreign media reports
Lebanese state media claimed late Wednesday night that the IDF seized a shepherd from a southern Lebanon border town earlier in the day.
The National News Agency said Ismail Saab had been taken from Shebaa, a southeastern border town near Israel, into the disputed Shebaa Farms area.
The report cited the UN’s mission in southern Lebanon and the International Committee for the Red Cross.
Spokespersons for both bodies were not immediately available for comment on Wednesday, but a Lebanese military source confirmed the news to AFP.
“Discussions are ongoing for his release,” the source said.
The IDF said it does not comment on foreign media reports.
The incident comes just days after Israel released a Lebanese woman it had detained from the same area. On Sunday night the shepherd crossed the border into Israel with her flock in the Mount Hermon area and was taken in for questioning by Israeli security forces.
According to Hebrew media reports, officials detained her in order to ascertain whether she crossed the border by accident or was attempting to gather intelligence for Lebanon or the Hezbollah terror group.
The border area has seen growing tensions between Israel, Iran and Hezbollah in recent months.
AFP contributed to this report.
