Israel to file UNSC complaint over damage to border with Lebanon

Jerusalem, April 19 (IANS) Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz announced that the country will file a complaint to the UN Security Council following an incident on its border with Lebanon.

“Israel thoroughly condemns these attempts to breach the border fence, and expects the Lebanese government to fulfil its responsibility to prevent these kinds of threats against the security of Israel, and of the region as a whole,” Katz said in a statement on Saturday.

According to the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), three different locations on the security fence that runs along Israel’s border with Lebanon were damaged, reports Xinhua news agency.

The military said no one crossed into the country.

“The IDF holds the Lebanese government responsible,” read a statement issued late Friday.

“Damaging the fence is a severe event,” it said, adding that Israeli military officials believe that the militant Hezbollah organization was behind the attempt.

In 2006, Israel and Hezbollah fought a month-long war in which both sides paid a heavy price. There have been several border incidents throughout this period.

The ceasefire between the two sides is maintained through the assistance of an UN peace-keeping force on the ground.

In recent years, Israel has undertaken a semi-covert military campaign, mainly in Syria and Lebanon, against the increasing armament of the militant organization.

Israel has conducted hundreds of airstrikes as part of this effort.

The latest border incident comes days after Israel reportedly struck a car of a senior Hezbollah member earlier in the week.

Arab media reported that there were no casualties in the strike while Israel did not make an official comment on the incident.

–IANS

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