Israeli jet fighters buzz Hezbollah's new bases

Israeli jet fighters buzzed Hezbollah's new bases in southern Lebanon and the western flank of the Bekaa valley on Sunday, drawing anti-aircraft fire, local Naharnet news website reported.

At least four Israeli jet fighters flew apparent reconnaissance missions at medium-low altitudes over the mountainous range stretching from the southern Shebaa sector to the Jezzine-Chouf region, cracking sonic booms and drawing scattered anti-aircraft fire, local reporters were quoted as saying.

The overflights covered a stretch of the terrain north of the Litani River in southern Lebanon, to which Hezbollah was pushed after last summer's conflict with Israel.

Witnesses in the area said that the Israeli jet fighters dropped scarlet balloons in a protective tactic designed to deflect heat-seeking anti-aircraft missiles. But no such weapons were observed.

They added that anti-aircraft rounds made white puffs of smoke in the clear sky as they exploded around the Israeli jet fighters. No hits were reported, however.

The Israeli move was carried out shortly before a visit to neighboring Syria by UN Secretary General Ban ki-Moon to discuss with Damascus officials, among other topics, relations with Lebanon and the alleged smuggling of weapons to rearm Hezbollah.

Illegal trafficking of weapons to Lebanon has been banned by UN Security Council Resolution 1701 which ended the 34-day Israeli- Hezbollah conflict last August.

The resolution created a weapons-free zone south of the Litani River to prevent Hezbollah from staging cross-border attacks against Israel.

The Lebanese militant group, however, has set up fortified bases north of the Litani River and in the western region of the Bekaa valley, close to the borders with Syria.

A UN peacekeeping force created by resolution 1701 patrols the zone south of the Litani rover to support Lebanese army operations in the area.

Source: Xinhua