BICOM

Israel Defence Forces troops exchanged fire with forces from Lebanon’s army in the Mount Dov region on the border between the two countries this morning. According to initial reports, one Lebanese soldier was killed in the exchange of gunfire. Later, In contrast with initial Lebanese reports, UNIFIL reported that the incident included gunfire but that there were no injuries. According to reports, soldiers from the Lebanese armed forces opened fire on IDF soldiers on the border, prompting them to return fire. This is the first exchange of gunfire in the northern region since this year’s Nakba Day events that left ten demonstrators dead and 112 wounded after they attempted to breach the border and enter Israel. The previous confrontation between the two armies occurred last year on 2 August when Lebanese snipers killed an IDF reservist regiment commander whilst IDF forces were pruning trees on their side of the border.

In another incident involving the IDF this morning, two Palestinians have been killed and five Israeli soldiers wounded for rioting at the Qalandiyah refugee camp, north of Jerusalem.  Witnesses and the Israeli military said the incident occurred as soldiers entered the camp shortly after midnight on a ‘search and arrest’ operation. Their entry into the camp sparked rioting, with residents throwing rocks and bottles at them.