Eleven Israeli Military Aircraft Violate Lebanese Airspace

An Israeli long-range Heron drone which is being used in the Horn of Africa nation of Somalia. 17 people were killed in Israeli air attacks on November 24, 2011., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.

Eleven Israeli military aircraft violate Lebanese airspace

Sat Apr 27, 2013 12:1AM GMT
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Eleven Israeli military aircraft have penetrated Lebanese airspace and flown over several areas of the country in blatant violation of a UN Security Council resolution.


Eight Israeli fighter jets crossed into Lebanon's airspace over the southern border village of Kfar Kila, located 96 kilometers (59 miles) south of Beirut, at 10:15 a.m. local time (0715 GMT) on Thursday, according to a statement issued by the Lebanese military on Friday.

The warplanes flew over several areas in Lebanon before leaving the country’s airspace at 12:10 p.m. local time (0910 GMT) while flying over the southern village of al-Naqoura, situated 91 kilometers (57 miles) south of Beirut.

In addition, three Israeli unmanned aerial vehicles entered Lebanese airspace at 12:10 p.m. local time (0910 GMT).

The remote-controlled aircraft carried out surveillance flights over the Chouf and Western Bekaa regions and the towns of Riyaq and Baalbek in southern Lebanon before leaving the country’s airspace at 1:35 p.m. local time (1035 GMT).

Israel violates Lebanon's airspace on an almost daily basis, claiming the flights serve surveillance purposes.

Lebanon's government, the Hezbollah resistance movement, and the UN Interim Force in Lebanon, known as UNIFIL, have repeatedly condemned the overflights, saying they are in clear violation of UN Resolution 1701 and the country's sovereignty.

UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which brokered a ceasefire in the war of aggression Israel launched against Lebanon in 2006, calls on Israel to respect Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

In 2009, Lebanon filed a complaint with the United Nations, presenting over 7,000 documents pertaining to Israeli violations of Lebanese territory.