Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Seniora on Thursday informed the United Nations of the government's rejection of Israel's "new aggression against Lebanon's sovereignty," local Naharnet news website reported.

The premier relayed the government stand to UN representative in Lebanon Gier Pederson, referring to Israel's attempted incursion into the Lebanese territory at the southern Maroun Al Rass sector overnight, which was confronted by the Lebanese army, a press release was quoted as saying.

"The attempted Israeli incursion" was a "further violation of the Lebanese sovereignty added to violations of Lebanon's airspace which have not ceased since the cease-fire was called in August," Seniora said in a statement.

The statement said the Lebanese army command "maintained contact with premier Seniora yesterday (Wednesday) to follow up the situation in the south. Premier Seniora issued clear directives to confront any Israeli violation of Lebanon's sovereignty."

Late on Wednesday night, Lebanese troops opened fire on an Israeli bulldozer after it crossed a southern border area and entered about 20 yards into Lebanon, Hezbollah Al Manar TV reported.

Local press also quoted Israeli army as saying that shooting erupted on the Israel-Lebanon border during an Israeli operation to search for bombs planted by Hezbollah guerrillas.

It was the first time that the exchange of fire between the two sides erupted across the border since an Aug. 14 cease-fire that ended a 34-day war between Israeli forces and Lebanon's Hezbollah militants.

Source: Xinhua