UNIFIL warns Israel over Lebanon attack

Fri, 09 Jan 2009 | Presstv.ir

French soldiers use a Mistral missile system to observe an Israeli helicopter Israel has made use of an anti-missile system equipped with radar to respond to an alleged Katyusha missile attack from southern Lebanon.  The anti-missile system allegedly located the approximate coordinates from which the rockets where launched and automatically fired back, according to a report by Lebanon's As-Safirnewspaper. Following what Israeli officials called 'retaliatory' fire, the United Nations peacekeepers in Southern Lebanon (UNIFIL) warned Israeli authorities that if continued, the gunfire would interfere within the UN-run area, the report said. Tel Aviv initially said it would respond to any kind of attack into Israel, but changed their tone after the UN force warned of a response mush stronger that what Israel expected. Israel assured it would stop striking targets in the Lebanese territories, but insisted that both the Lebanese army and Hezbollah had to be clear about their stance on the issue. Lebanese officials said the five Israeli missiles landed on desert areas and caused no casualties or damage. No group has so far claimed responsibility for the Thursday's Katyusha missiles launched into the northern Israeli town of Nahariya. The Lebanese army has launched a probe into the missile attack while Hezbollah has denied any role in the incident. The Palestinian Hamas movement also said it was fighting Israeli forces within the Gaza Strip, describing it against its principles to use another Arab nation's land to launch attacks on its enemy.