Six Israeli soldiers were wounded early Sunday morning, none seriously, when mortar shells were fired at their patrol in the south Lebanon security zone from outside the zone. Three were taken to Rambam Hospital in Haifa by helicopter and three were sent home.
The shelling occurred simultaneously with an attack by the pro-Iranian Hezbullah, an extremist Shiite group on Lebanese Christian militia positions near Jezzine, north of the security zone. A search of the area yielded the bodies of eight of the attackers. Five militiamen were killed and 10 wounded in the clash.
The militia is a paramilitary force composed of local civilians living in a Christian enclave around Jezzine. It is loosely connected with Gen. Antoine Lehad’s Israel-backed South Lebanon Army (SLA). Military sources said Hezbullah attacked the militia because they are an easier target than the SLA and Israel Defense Force positions in the security zone.
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