Lebanese news agency said Thursday evening that UNIFIL ordered 15 IDF soldiers to return to Israeli territory after they had allegedly crossed into southern Lebanon, Israel Radio reported. According to the report, the force had penetrated some 50 meters into the country, south of the village of Bint Jbil. The IDF said that the peacekeeping force did not submit any such complaint. Weaponry belonging to Hizbullah was discovered overnight Wednesday by IDF soldiers patrolling the Lebanese border, the army reported earlier in the day.
Troops from the 12th Golani Battalion found the equipment - including RPG and LAU missiles and a submachine gun - hidden among the shrubbery near Moshav Zirit at the 105 border marking, where IDF reservists Eldad Regev and Ehud Goldwasser were kidnapped on July 12. A pair of shoes was also discovered at the site.
The IDF said that it was still too early to determine whether, as some speculated, the weapons had been used in the abduction. According to Army Radio, the weapons were an indication that Hizbullah had made extensive preparations to kidnap IDF soldiers. Also, the report said, at least 20 operatives had taken part in the attack. |