Contrary to initial reports, an Israeli soldier was injured in an attack on an army post in southern Lebanon on Wednesday that touched off an eight-hour artillery exchange.
Daniel Mann was hit in the chest by shrapnel while pursuing gunmen who directed fire from light weapons and rifle-propelled grenades at an Israeli position in the eastern sector of the Israeli-controlled security zone.
Initial reports said there had been no casualties among Israeli troops or the allied South Lebanon Army in the attack near Nabatiya.
The Iranian-backed Hezbollah denied it carried out the attack on the Israeli position. Reports from Lebanon said variously that the gunmen were members of a group called the Syrian National Party Upper Council of Lebanon, headed by Ana’am Raid, or of the National Resistance group of the Lebanese Communist Party.
Two roadside bombs were discovered in the area of the clash and dismantled without causing damage.
The two Hezbollah terrorists killed in the exchange brought to three the number killed in clashes with Israeli and South Lebanon Army troops within a period of 36 hours.
U.N. peacekeepers, meanwhile, apparently averted another attack on Israel.
Members of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon on Wednesday discovered and dismantled two Katyusha launchers in the Tyre region, north of the security zone.
Both had been aimed at Israel. A timing device attached to the rocket launchers was set to go off an hour later.
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