Lebanese troops and Israeli soldier killed in border clash

Lebanese and Israeli troops traded deadly fire on their tense border yesterday in the worst clash since the 2006 war between the Jewish state and Hezbollah, with the Shiite movement’s leader warning against future Israeli “aggression.”

Two Lebanese soldiers, a Leba­nese journalist and a senior Israeli officer were killed in the fighting.

Each side blamed the other for sparking the incident, which Lebanon said wounded 15 people. The Lebanese army acknowledged that it had fired first.

The US, the UN and the EU urged the two sides to exercise restraint.

Hezbollah chief Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah called on his followers not to react but said the group would not “stand idly” by in the future.

“We told our militants to hold back, not to do anything,” he said in a speech transmitted by video link to thousands of supporters massed in Hezbollah’s stronghold in Beirut’s southern suburbs.

“From now on, if the army is attacked in any area where the resistance (Hezbollah) has a presence or a say, we will not stand by idly.

“We will cut off the Israeli hand that reaches out to (attack) the Lebanese army.”

Tension in the region has been mounting in recent months following reports Hezbollah was stockpiling weapons in preparation for a new war.

The army said troops opened fire on the Israelis after a patrol crossed the technical fence at the border.

“The patrol did not stop despite UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) attempts to stop it, and the Lebanese army confronted the troops with gunfire and RPGs,” an army statement said.

A spokesman said the Israelis were attempting to uproot trees on the Lebanese side that were obstructing their view.

The clashes began at around noon (0900 GMT) near the village of Adaysseh and continued intermittently over about four hours.

Two Lebanese soldiers and a journalist were killed, Lebanese officials said.

An Israeli lieutenant colonel was killed and a captain critically wounded, Israeli officials said.

Lebanon said it would file a complaint with the UN Security council, whose members met for private consultations on the incident.

Afterwards, the council expressed “deep concern” and urged the parties to show “utmost restraint ... observe the cessation of hostilities and prevent any further escalation.”

Meanwhile, General Said Eid, chief of Lebanon’s top defence council, said following an emergency meeting that the council had “given instructions to face all aggression on our territory, army and people by all available means and no matter the sacrifices.”

Prime Minister Saad Hariri, who is on vacation in Italy, called various world leaders to discuss the Israeli “aggression.”

Hariri “condemns the violation of Lebanese sovereignty and demands… the UN and the international community bear their responsibilities and pressure Israel to stop its aggression,” his office said.

The Israeli foreign ministry responded with equal force.

“Israel sees the government of Lebanon as responsible for this grave incident and warns of the consequences in the event that disturbances of this kind continue,” it said.