Lebanon fires at Israeli jets violating its airspace

The Lebanese army says its anti-aircraft artillery fired at four Israeli fighter jets flying over the country’s southern airspace at low altitude on Monday.

“The army’s anti-aircraft guns fired at four enemy Israeli planes that had been overflying the (southern) area of Marjayoun this morning,” an army spokesman told AFP.

According to the report, about 70 rounds had been fired at the Israeli aircraft.

The Lebanese army reports almost every day violations of its airspace by Israeli warplanes.

It, however, avoids military response, unless they fly within range of the army guns.

A spokesman for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) warned about Israel’s violation of Lebanese airspace saying they were in violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which ended a 33-day Israeli war against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon in the summer of 2006.

“We have been noticing a significant number of Israeli overflights into Lebanese airspace over the last week, which constitutes a violation of Resolution 1701,” UNIFIL deputy spokesman Andrea Tenenti said.

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

After a unity government that included Hezbollah was formed in Lebanon, the cabinet adopted a policy statement granting Hezbollah the right to keep its arms.

The move, however, provoked anger among Israeli officials who are always concerned about the movement’s military possessions.