Israeli warplanes draw Lebanese anti-aircraft fire

The Lebanese Army has opened anti-aircraft fire on Israeli military aircrafts violating its airspace again, the Press TV has learned.

The Lebanese forces launched the defensive fire on the intruding aircrafts flying at medium attitude over the village of Rashaya, as well as western, eastern and central Beqaa on Friday, our correspondent reported.

One such incident last month prompted deputy spokesman for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon Andrea Tenenti to warn about Israel’s violation of the Lebanese airspace. Tenenti said the incursions were in contravention of the UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended a 33-day Israeli war on Lebanon in the summer of 2006.

The incursions take place on an almost daily basis, though the resolution calls on Israel to end its invasion of Lebanon’s sovereignty by land, sea and air.

Israel, however, claims that it carries out the air sorties to monitor what it calls “massive arms smuggling by Hezbollah.”

The Hezbollah resistance movement, an active member of Lebanon’s coalition government, defended the country against the 2006 Israeli war as well as other offensives by the Tel Aviv regime. The cabinet adopted a policy statement, granting Hezbollah the right to keep its arms after the group’s inclusion in the unity government.