Israeli Army Fires Warning Shots At Lebanese Lawmaker, Journalists Near Separation Line

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On July 15, the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) fired warning shots and stun grenades at a Lebanese parliamentarian and a number of journalists near the separation line in southern Lebanon.

In a statement, the IDF said that troops took the measures after the group crossed the separation line into the Shebaa Farms. The group, which included some 18 people, walked some 80 meters into Israeli-occupied territory but did not breach Israel’s so-called border barrier.

Ali Shoeib, a correspondent for the Hezbollah-affiliated al-Manar channel, said that a group of journalists had joined parliamentarian Qassem Hashem, a member of the Arab Socialist Ba’ath Party in Lebanon, for a tour of the separation line. No injuries were reported.

The incident was the latest in a series of actions that escalated tensions along the separation line between Israel and Lebanon.

On June 26, Hezbollah shot down an Israeli drone seven kilometers away from the separation line and on July 6 an anti-tank guided missile was fired from Lebanon at the disputed village of Ghajar, causing no injuries.

Later on July 12, the IDF detonated a non-lethal explosive charge after alleged members of Hezbollah approached the fence along the separation line. In another area, Lebanese activists climbed an Israeli military tower on the border and took down surveillance equipment. In another incident from the same day, Israel troops fired warning shots at a group of activists who launched fireworks and set fires near Metula, during a protest to mark 17 years since the 2006 Second Lebanon War.

The tensions began early in June when Hezbollah fighters set up two tents several dozen meters into the Shebaa Farms, which were occupied by Israel during the 1967 Six Day War and later effectively annexed along with the Syrian Golan Heights and the town of Ghajar. The Lebanese government says the area belongs to Lebanon.

One tent was removed after Israel sent a message to Hezbollah threatening Lebanon with a military confrontation. However, the second is still in its place.

The UN is currently making efforts to de-escalate tensions between the IDF and Hezbollah. However, the situation could get worse. In a recent speech, Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah threatened Israel with war if it attempts to remove the tent set up by his group.

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