by Joanie Margulies
Israeli forces fired stun grenades at Lebanese heavy machinery that crossed the border into Israel on Saturday afternoon.
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Clashes broke out Saturday afternoon between the IDF and the Lebanese army near the Israel-Lebanon border after a heavy-duty vehicle illegally crossed into Israel, as per local reports.
Armed forces fired "protest dispersion" tools such as stun grenades at a tractor that crossed from the Lebanese border into Israel in the Mount Dov area after surveillance identified the vehicle.
A statement released by the IDF spokesman stated that the tool's tip crossed the 'Blue Line' from Lebanon into the Mount Dov area by about two meters, leading to multiple grenades being fired from Lebanon toward where the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) was stationed.
The IDF returned fire and the vessel returned to Lebanese territory shortly thereafter, Israeli media reported. According to the IDF, neither Lebanese soldiers nor Hezbollah fighters crossed over the border.
Later on Saturday, the Lebanese Armed Forces said it fired tear gas at Israeli forces following the launch of stun grenades at the heavy machinery.
Down south, Gaza residents protest via flotilla
Simultaneously, a demonstration was held on the shores of the Gaza Strip as protesters staged a flotilla calling for an end to Israel's blockade of the strip for Yom Kippur and the High Holy days.
This protest follows continued reports of similar uprisings at the Gaza border.
Friday, the IDF struck three Hamas military outposts in the Gaza Strip on Friday afternoon after fires broke out along the Gaza border by what security forces said were incendiary balloons, not seen launched from the Gaza Strip in over two years.
The strikes were carried out using an unmanned aerial vehicle, the military said. A military tank also struck another Hamas post where shots were previously fired at Israeli forces along the border.
Other action on the northern border
On Thursday, IDF tanks unusually attacked two temporary structures in the Golan Heights that were used by the Syrian army, violating the 1974 separation of forces agreement between Israel and Syria's Ein Altaniya area.
"The IDF considers the Syrian regime responsible for everything that happens in its territory and will not allow attempts to violate the separation agreement," the IDF spokesperson said.
The move also follows a recorded incident of Hezbollah tents built on Israeli territory on the Lebanese border, in which the IDF decided not to destroy them immediately. However, the army decided to act quickly and thwart a possible attack during a particularly tense time for the nation at all borders.
Joanie Margulies
Source: https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-760236
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