IDF confirms it fired on Lebanon border

The incident follows several days of increasing tensions in the north.

By World Israel News Staff

The IDF fired artillery shells Sunday across the border with Lebanon, Hezbollah’s Al-Manar news outlet reported.

The IDF confirmed the incident, TPS reports.

The shells landed in a disputed area outside Mount Dov, aka Shebaa Farms.

Fires broke out in the area as a result of the shelling but there were no reported injuries.

According to Ynet, fires also burst out in the area of Mount Dov Saturday as a result of IDF activities.

The news site reports that the Lebanese army addressed the incident. It claimed an Israeli drone entered Lebanon’s airspace at 11:15 a.m. and fired combustible materials on the forested area of Mount Dov.

Ynet also reports the Israeli Air Force sent numerous planes to the north to monitor the Lebanese border, including large Hercules aircraft. The latter returned to their southern bases however.

The incident follows several days of increasing tensions in the north. On Saturday, the army transferred artillery and troops to Israel’s northern border, bracing for an attack from Hezbollah, Iran’s proxy in Lebanon. IDF Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi also decided to postpone a military exercise planned for this week.

Surprise military checkpoints popped up on roads in the north on Sunday. Residents must provide proof of identity in order to pass through them.

IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Ronen Manelis, who was to step down on Tuesday, has extended his service for the time being.

On Saturday, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah repeated his calls for retaliation against Israel for attacks on terror targets in Syria and Lebanon. Israel has taken credit for only one of the attacks – a strike on a squad of drone operators in Syria preparing to launch kamikaze-style attacks on Israeli targets.

Israel also exposed the Iranian military officers in charge of that operation in an attempt to embarrass the Islamic Republic and gather international support against the regime.