Ramz 8 Posted January 8, 2009 BEIRUT: Israeli forces fired mortars across the border into southern Lebanon Thursday after rockets were fired into northern Israel, Lebanese security officials said. The brief cross-border exchange was the first since Israel launched an offensive against the militant group Hamas in the Gaza Strip on Dec. 27, a battle that has so far killed more than 700 Palestinians. Although it was unclear who fired the rockets and whether it signaled the start of a wider conflict, the exchange was certain to raise tensions between Hezbollah and Israel after days with the two sides' trading threats but holding their fire. The Lebanese officials said up to three Katyusha rockets were fired into Israel from an area north of the Lebanese coastal village of Naqoura. The Israelis fired back with about six artillery shells. There was no immediate report on casualties from the shells falling inside Lebanon. Media sources said the shells crashed in a valley near a village about 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) north of the Israeli border. In Israel, police reported at least three rockets fell around the northern Israeli border town of Nahariya in the morning. Rescue services say at least one person was lightly wounded. No group has claimed responsibility for the rocket firing. The militant group Hezbollah had no immediate comment, and its TV station only carried the reports of the exchange. The border area in southern Lebanon is controlled by Lebanese troops and U.N. peacekeepers since the 2006 war between Hezbollah and Israel, a brutal 34-day conflict that killed more than 1,000 Lebanese and about 160 Israelis. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
