Clashes on Lebanon-Israel border, at least 3 dead, Israeli helicopters and fighter jet involved

Ma'an/Agencies - Three Lebanese soldiers were said to have been killed and at least four were injured in an exchange of fire with Israeli troops along the Israel-Lebanon border shortly after noon Tuesday.

News outlets said Israeli helicopters arrived on the scene before 2 p.m, and a fighter jet was circling the area as artillery fire slowed.

Al-Jadid TV reported shots fired from the helicopters toward the Lebanese town of Adeisseh, with reports of intermittent artillery fire and at least two homes set ablaze during the thick of the clash.

An Israeli military spokesman denied early reports that rockets were launched from southern Lebanon toward Israel, but confirmed Israeli fire toward a Lebanese military position.

He said reports that Israeli forces had entered Lebanon were false, adding that troops were between the blue line and the security fence.

Israeli news reports said a tank in the upper Galilee opened fire toward a Lebanese army position in southern Lebanon.

Lebanese news reports said Israeli soldiers were operating in the area, with some reports saying forces were attempting to install surveillance equipment, and others claiming the troops were removing trees to facilitate surveillance activity.

The Israeli activity in the area near the border zone appeared to have spurred the clash. Israseli military said soldiers had been "carrying out routine maintenance and was pre-coordinated with UNIFIL."

"It started when the Israelis wanted to cut a tree down inside Lebanon," a security source in Lebanon told the Israeli daily newspaper Haaretz. "The Lebanese army fired warning shots at them and they responded by shelling."

An Israeli military statement said soldiers " immediately returned fire with light arms," and also "made use of artillery fire." The statement confirmed helicopter fire was also used, saying the aircraft fired at "LAF Battalion Command Center in Al-Taybeh, damaging several LAF armored combat vehicles."

Reports of 4 dead, 4 injured

Lebanese officials identified two injured early Tuesday as Hasan Nazzal, a civilian, and Lebanese soldier Ibrahim Abboud, the Lebanese news outlet Narnarnet reported.

By 2 p.m., Reuters reported two soldiers dead, and 45 minutes later AFP said three soldiers were killed.

The Lebanese-based Al-Manar TV said a high-ranking Israeli army officer was killed in the shelling and Israeli soldiers were trying to pull him out, which Israeli sources denied.

NOW Lebanon's correspondent identified Al-Akhbar daily reporter Assaf Abu Rahhal as killed by Israeli fire in dies in Adeisseh, following reports from the Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation that a journalist was injured in the fire was confirmed by Al-Jazeera.

A reporter for the Lebanese Al-Manar TV, identified as Ali Chaayeb, was also reportedly injured.

Lebanon condemns

Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri condemned the Israeli violations of Lebanese sovereignty from his vacation in Sardinia, Italy, governmental news agencies reported.

The official made a call to the country's President Michel Suleiman, army commander General Jean Qahwaj and UNIFIL officials asking that the team follow up on the clashes.

Speaker of the Lebanese parliament Nabih Berri urged officials to file a complaint against the Israel with the UN Security Council, days after Israel filed a complaint following the reported launch of a Grad-grade projectile from Gaza that landed in Israel on Friday.

Hariri told UNIFIL that he expected the UN to pressure Israel to implement UN Resolution 1701, which called for the demilitarization of the area within the blue line, where UN Interim Forces In Lebanon are stationed.

UNIFIL called on both Israel and Lebanon to exercise "maximum restraint," Lebanese media reported.

Israel's foreign ministry issued a statement holding Lebanon responsible for the incident, saying "Israel sees the firing on an IDF force which acted in coordination with UNIFIL in the border region in the last hours a blunt violation of Security Council Resolution 1701."

Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman also said the country held Lebanon as responsible, for what he called a "grave incident," and warned of consequences if similar incidents are reported.

Leaders gather

News outlets in Israel and Lebanon said leaders were meeting to discuss the afternoon clash, with Israeli outlets announcing the opening of War Rooms in the Galilee, while Lebanese officials discussed sending complaints to the UN.

PFLP-GC reported acting in area

Online news agency Naharnet in Lebanon said the country's Voice of Free Lebanon reported "strange activity" in the central Bekaa Valley town of Qoussaya, near the Galilee.

The report said "strange, young bearded men have been seen in PFLP-GC bases in Qoussaya," and quoted locals saying "These elements have started deploying three weeks ago," wearing combat uniforms.

The PFLP-GC is a Palestinian faction, which broke off from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and formed the General Command unit.

Residents of the Galilee told the Israeli daily newspaper Haaretz that several loud explosions were heard in the area in the afternoon.

The clashes follow one day after rockets landed in both Israel and Jordan, reportedly fired from the northern Egyptian Sinai. Egyptian security officials denied the claims.

The fire killed one Jordanian taxi driver in the port city of Aqaba.