Israel army says it shot 'suspect' who crossed from Lebanon
Israel's army on Sunday shot and wounded someone who illegally entered the country across the closely guarded separation line with Lebanon, the military said.
"A short while ago... troops spotted a suspect who crossed the Blue Line from Lebanon into Israeli territory," it said in a statement, referring to a UN-demarcated line.
"The suspect was injured from fire and is being evacuated to a hospital for medical treatment in Israel," it said, adding that "the incident is being looked into".
A statement from the Lebanese military identified the individual as Mohamad Noureddine Abdel al-Azim, a cattle herder and Syrian national.
According to a report on Hezbollah-affiliated Lebanese TV channel Al-Manar, the man was a Syrian shepherd working on a Lebanese farm. The report said he had been shot in the Kfarchouba Hills area, which is on the Lebanese side of the line, Israel’s Haaretz said.
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Lebanon said it was following up on the shooting in coordination with the UN peacekeepers who patrol the "blue line", which was drawn up after Israel withdrew from southern Lebanon in 2000.
Israel and Lebanon are technically at war, with Israel having also fought against Hezbollah, Lebanon's Iran-back Shia militia, in 2006.
The month-long war killed more than 1,200 Lebanese, mostly civilians, and more than 160 Israelis, mostly soldiers.
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