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Lebanese Army Fires at Israeli Planes Over South Lebanon
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1657763:A6F02AD83191E160BC742D36CB50AAF39574F7DCC14957C0 Israeli planes
regularly fly reconnaissance missions over Lebanon, despite protests
from the Beirut government and repeated appeals from UN peacekeepers



The Lebanese military says its anti-aircraft guns opened fire at
Israeli warplanes that flew over southern Lebanon, Wednesday.

There were no reports that any Israeli plane was hit.

However, it was the first time Lebanese forces fired at Israeli planes
since last year's war between Israel and Lebanon's Hezbollah
guerrillas.

Israeli planes regularly fly reconnaissance missions over Lebanon,
despite protests from the Beirut government and repeated appeals from
U.N. peacekeepers in the region to halt the practice.

Israel says the overflights are necessary to ensure that Hezbollah
guerrillas do not smuggle weapons into the country's southern region
along the Israeli border.

Israel and Hezbollah fought a 34-day war last August during which,
Israeli air raids destroyed most Hebollah strongholds in southern
Lebanon and Beirut suburbs.

After the war, Lebanon deployed about 16,000 troops in southern
Lebanon, where Hezbollah guerrillas have been in control. More than
12,000 U.N. peacekeepers are also in the region to monitor the
ceasefire.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.


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