An Israeli helicopter was hit when Israeli forces clashed against
Lebanon's Hezbollah guerillas in south Lebanon yesterday, the pan-Arab
al-Jazeera satellite TV reported.
Israeli forces and Hezbollah guerillas exchanged fire on the Lebanese side of
the border and Israeli helicopters were dispatched to the area, the TV reported.
One Israeli helicopter was hit during the fierce confrontations,the report
added, without revealing further details.It was not clear whether the aircraft
was hit by Hezbollah's fire or if any casualties were caused.
At least two Israeli soldiers were wounded in a clash between Israeli forces
and Hezbollah in the border area earlier in the day.
Small numbers of Israeli forces have repeatedly crossed into southern Lebanon
to mount "pinpoint" attacks on Hezbollah outposts and then pulled back.
Israel has not ruled out a large-scale ground intrusion into Lebanon.
Violence between Israel and Hezbollah erupted after the Lebanese Shiite group
kidnapped two Israeli soldiers and killed eight in a cross-border attack on July
12.
About 300 Lebanese and 29 Israelis have been killed in the nine-day-old
clashes.
