LONDON: The Israeli military said on Thursday that it had returned all Israeli women who illegally crossed the border into Lebanon the day before, as fighting between Israel and Hezbollah continues to escalate in southern Lebanon.
Some 15 women arrived on Wednesday at Ghajar, a border community and Arab village on the Hasbani River, damaged a section of the border fence and crossed into Lebanese territory, The Times of Israel reported, citing the Israeli army.
Soldiers and Border Police officers were dispatched to the area, searched for the group and eventually brought all of them back into Israel, the military said.
The women were handed over to police for further investigation, according to the army.
They are reportedly affiliated with Uri Tzafon, a far-right movement that advocates Jewish settlement in southern Lebanon.
The Israeli military condemned the incident, saying it “constitutes another case of severe interference with operational activity and a danger to the security of (Israeli) troops operating in the area.”
It said that “law enforcement authorities are required to bring those involved to justice,” adding that such actions “constitute a criminal offense.”
The border breach came amid Israeli military operations in southern Lebanon. The army said that two of its soldiers were killed in combat there on Wednesday, after it launched strikes that killed at least one Lebanese.
The Lebanese health ministry said that one man was killed and 12 other people were injured in an Israeli strike in the southern town of Tibnin.
