Israeli forces exchanged fire with Hezbollah fighters along the volatile Israeli-Lebanese frontier on Monday, the heaviest fighting between the bitter enemies in nearly a year.
The Israeli army's Arabic-language spokesperson Avichay Adraee said troops foiled the Hezbollah attack by three or four men who infiltrated a few metres over the Blue Line, which demarcates Israel's 2000 withdrawal from Lebanon.
There were no casualties among Israeli forces, Adraee said.
Hezbollah carried out the operation against Israeli soldiers in the disputed Shebaa Farms area, Reuters news agency quoted unnamed sources familiar with situation as saying.
The raid was in retaliation after an Israel air strike near the Syrian capital, Damascas, killed a Hezbollah fighter last week, the sources said.
Residents in the area were ordered to stay in their houses and "any kind of activity in open areas is forbidden", an Israeli army statement said.
There was no immediate statement by Hezbollah.
A resident of the town of Khiam, about 5km (2 miles) from Lebanon's southern border, told Al Jazeera she heard about two dozen explosions and witnessed large columns of smoke rising near Mount Hermon.
Andrea Tenenti, the spokesperson for UN peacekeeping forces in southern Lebanon (UNIFIL), said its commander, Major-General Stefano Del Col, "is in contact with both parties to assess the situation and decrease tension."
"He urges maximum restraint," Tenenti told Al Jazeera.
Just another to add to the list of 2020’s craziness. Hopefully a peaceful resolution can be found. Hopefully this won’t escalate further the tensions between the Pro-Iran alliance and Western forces in the region.
