2010 Israel–Lebanon border clash

In the weeks leading up to the incident hostile rhetoric was traded between the Lebanese (particularly Hezbollah) and Israeli sides in light of the reports suggesting the Special Tribunal for Lebanon would indict Hezbollah members. Following an impromptu visit to Lebanon by King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia and Syria's Bashar al-Assad just days before the incident, various media in Lebanon and outside said the likelihood of sparking an outbreak of violence eased. Two days before the incident, however, Assad made a statement marking Syria's Army Day warning that "The spectre of real peace in the region is disappearing, and the possibility of war is increasing." There were conflicting reports as to which side provoked the firefight. The Lebanese Army claimed the conflict began when an Israeli patrol attempted to uproot some trees between the Lebanese villages of Odaisseh and Kfar Kila, while the Israel Defense Forces claimed that Lebanese snipers opened fire on an observation post inside Israel while Israeli troops were carrying out routine maintenance on the Israeli side of the border. UNIFIL confirmed the Israeli claim that the soldiers were inside Israeli territory when the clashes erupted. The Israel Defense Forces released aerial footage that claims to show the IDF soldiers were standing in Israeli territory when fired on, and "did not cross the Lebanese border." United Nations representatives confirmed the photos. Israeli analysts speculated that a renegade commander sympathetic to Hezbollah may have ordered the attack. A Lebanese Army official later officially confirmed that Lebanese troops had fired warning shots first, after the Israelis had crossed into Lebanese territory. Allegations of planned ambush A report released by senior Israeli officials in Jerusalem accuses the Lebanese army of taking "advantage of the fact that the IDF delayed several hours of maintenance work" near the Lebanese border, to "plan and prepare an ambush" against IDF troops. According to the report, the Israeli Army contacted UNIFIL at 6:00 on August 3 to inform them of maintenance work to commence three hours later. UNIFIL representatives responded that their forces needed extra time to prepare for the IDF presence and requested the IDF delay work until 11:00. The Israeli army delayed the operation by several hours. IDF officers alleged that Lebanese military called in journalists and photographers in advance of the confrontation. Officials have questioned the large presence of journalists and broadcast trucks at the scene before the clash ensued: == Confrontation ==

According to the Israeli military the fighting began when a Lebanese Army sniper unit fired on an IDF observation post inside Israeli territory after receiving authorization from Lebanese commanders. The gunshots were fired from a range of about 700 meters from a building in the Lebanese village of Odaisseh. An Israeli military spokeswoman said there were about two or three sniper shots, and that the surprise attack seemed like an ambush. IDF soldiers immediately fired on Lebanese troops with small arms, and the Lebanese returned fire. The IDF launched a heavy artillery attack targeting Lebanese Army outposts, claiming that the outposts held a "dominating position" and could have posed a threat to troops still on the ground. Israeli artillery fired at an army position in Odaisseh. One artillery shell hit a civilian area. s, like those destroyed in the incident. Several minutes after the confrontation began, an Israeli Air Force AH-64 Apache helicopter gunship attacked a Lebanese Armed Forces command center in the southern Lebanese town of Al Taybeh, destroying several M113 armored personnel carriers. Throughout these assaults, the IDF had been receiving a number of requests from the senior command levels of the Lebanese Army, asking for a cease-fire to allow the Lebanese to evacuate their casualties. Later, the IDF agreed to a cease-fire, and halted its attacks. Half an hour later, a Lebanese Army rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) team fired a single round at an Israeli tank, but missed. This tank then fired at the Lebanese position from which the attack had come. == UNIFIL report ==

United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) officials in Lebanon said that the IDF informed the organization of its intention to conduct routine maintenance in the area where the Lebanese Army opened fire on IDF soldiers. UNIFIL said Israeli soldiers were inside Israeli territory when the border clashes erupted. UNIFIL personnel later visited the site of the skirmish. According to Israeli officials who spoke to UNIFIL representatives, UNIFIL determined that Lebanese forces had no reason to fire on Israeli troops. == Casualties ==

The casualties of the incident were: • Israeli reserve battalion commander Lieutenant Colonel Dov Harari was killed in his observation post when he was shot in the head by a Lebanese sniper. Reserve company commander Captain Ezra Lakia was wounded by Lebanese sniper fire as he stood in the same post, sustaining a gunshot wound to the chest. Five other Lebanese soldiers were wounded by Israeli retaliatory fire. • Assaf Abu Rahhal, a journalist for Lebanon's Al-Akhbar newspaper, was killed by Israeli artillery fire in Odaisseh, located several miles behind border. • Ali Shuaib, a journalist from the Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Manar television station, was moderately wounded in the same artillery attack. == Reactions ==

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that he held the Lebanese government "directly accountable for this violent provocation against Israel." He also added that "Israel responded aggressively, and will do so in the future against any attempt to violate the quiet on [our] northern border, and attack residents of the north and the soldiers who are protecting them." The Foreign Ministry labeled the incident a "severe violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701" and only "one of many violations of Resolution 1701, the most severe of which is the massive rearmament of Hizbullah, including the rearmament of Hizbullah units in southern Lebanon." It declared, "Israel holds the Lebanese government responsible for the grave incident, and warns of the consequences should these continue." Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman "instructed the Israeli diplomatic delegation to the United Nations to file a protest with the UN Secretary General and the Security Council." Major General Gadi Eisenkot said "It was a planned ambush by a sniper unit ... this was a provocation by the Lebanese army. We view this fire was a highly grave incident. Our forces responded at once, and immediately after that we resorted to artillery and gunship fire." Israel also filed a complaint with the United Nations, alleging that Lebanese soldiers opened fire despite the IDF having informed UNIFIL forces in advance of its plan to cut down a tree along the border fence. Israeli sources also alleged that UNIFIL forces said the Lebanese soldiers had no reason to open fire as the Israeli army was conducting routine activity. Government officials in Israel have criticized the United States and France for supporting Lebanon's military in the wake of the border clash. The US has provided Lebanon with over 400 million in military aid, and France has supplied the military with advanced anti-tank missiles. Israeli UN Ambassador Daniel Carmon wrote a letter of complaint to the UN that: "These attacks threaten stability, peace, and security in our region. In response to this grave incident that constitutes a blatant violation of UN Security Council resolution 1701, Israel exercised its right of self-defense, responding with the appropriate measures on LAF positions in the area. Israel holds the Government of Lebanon responsible for these attacks and all actions conducted from Lebanese territory. Israel calls upon the international community to exert its influence and to take the necessary measures with the Lebanese authorities to ensure that such provocative violations will not be repeated." According to Lebanese news sources, the Israeli government demanded that Lebanon court-martial the commander of the Lebanese unit that fired at IDF troops across the border. Lebanon President Michel Suleiman said he would "stand up to Israel's violation of Resolution 1701, whatever the price". He called for both countries to respect the Blue Line. Prime Minister Saad Hariri called the attack a "violation of Lebanese sovereignty and demands." He called for "the United Nations and the international community bear their responsibilities and pressure Israel to stop its aggression." Lebanese Information Minister Tarek Mitri stated that Lebanon respects the border but contests part of it. He said that while the tree which triggered the confrontation is on the Israeli side of the border, it "is Lebanese territory." Hezbollah's Hassan Nasrallah declared that in the future his group would not "stand silent" in any future attacks against the LAF and that "The Israeli hand that targets the Lebanese army will be cut off. [However] I don't expect a war to happen soon...but there are reasons for worry." He added that "We told our militants to hold back, not to do anything. [But] 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." The Higher Defence Council chief, General Said Eid, said Lebanon stood ready to confront Israeli aggression "by all available means." UNIFIL Spokesman Neeraj Singh confirmed the firefight and urged both sides to use "maximum restraint." He added that "UNIFIL peacekeepers are in the area and are trying to ascertain the circumstances of the incident and any possible casualties. Our immediate priority at this time is to restore calm in the area." Following initial investigation of the incident, UNIFIL confirmed the Israeli claim that the soldiers were inside Israeli territory when the clashes erupted. However, the next day UNIFIL issued a statement saying it is still conducting an investigation in the area. Milos Struger, the political adviser to UNIFIL said Lebanese forces had been advised of the brush-clearing operation several hours in advance. International reactions ;Political reactions • – Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit urged UNIFIL to calm the situation, and prevent any further Israeli violations of Resolution 1701. • – In a statement, the Iranian Foreign Ministry said, "The Islamic Republic of Iran strongly condemns the Zionist regime's incursion in the southern regions of Lebanon which resulted in the martyrdom of a handful of children of the Lebanese army." It added that the "hysterical assault" by Israel raised an existing concern about a "new adventure" against Lebanon. • – The Moroccan government condemned Israel for the incident and declared its support for Lebanon, adding that the event would have negative effects on the peace process in the Middle East. • – Jordanian Prime Minister Samir Rifai emphasized the Jordanian government's support for Lebanon and rejection of any aggression against the country, but warned of the effect any future clashes could have on attempts to work towards peace in the region. The Jordanian cabinet released a statement saying that it was "deeply concerned about the dangerous escalation in Lebanese territory." • – President Barack Obama conveyed his condolences through Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak to the family of Harari. State Department spokesman Phillip Crowley stated that "we deeply regret the loss of life. We urge both sides to exercise maximum restraint to avoid an escalation, and maintain the ceasefire that is now in place." He also expressed concerns that the incident might expand into "something more significant," and that U.S. officials had been trying to make sure it went no further. A senior American official in Washington said that, based on what had been learned so far, the Lebanese military appeared to have been responsible for starting the gunfire. == See also ==