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Lebanon-Israel border clashes in second day

A demonstration erupts Wednesday outside the U.S. Embassy in Beirut.
A demonstration erupts Wednesday outside the U.S. Embassy in Beirut.  


BEIRUT, Lebanon (CNN) -- Fears of another battle front for Israel increased Wednesday as Hezbollah forces clashed with Israeli troops for the second consecutive day along the Lebanon-Israel border near the disputed Golan Heights.

Clashes resumed Wednesday afternoon around Shebaa Farms at the foot of the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, where, an Israel Defense Forces spokesman said, guerrillas fired mortars at Israeli army positions and the army responded with fighter-bombers and artillery.

Israeli seized the Golan Heights from Syria in 1967, but Syria has since backed Lebanon's claim to the land.

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Demonstrators protesting U.S. policy in the Middle East clash with authorities outside the American Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon (April 3)

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Earlier, IDF said that mortar shells were fired from Lebanon at the western slopes of the Mount Dov sector during the late hours of the night. No casualties or damage resulted.

Other attacks were launched out of Lebanon in the same area on Tuesday.

Israel withdrew its troops from south Lebanon almost two years ago, and since that time tension along the border has ebbed and flowed.

Israel's current incursions and self-described war to uproot terrorism in Palestinian territories, however, have increased the tension and raised serious fears that warfare could break out between Hezbollah and Israel. Israeli civilians have been the targets of a mounting series of deadly terror attacks.

Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri has said Lebanon has no intention of opening a war front along its border with Israel, but the latest violence in that area came as Syria announced it would redeploy a substantial number of its forces inside Lebanon.

Meanwhile, protests erupted in cities and towns across the Arab world, including Beirut, Lebanon, over Israel's offensive and U.S. policy in support of Israel.

In Beirut, Lebanese police were called when hundreds of people rallied in front of the U.S. Embassy, demanding the United States take what they called "a more balanced" role in the Mideast.

Police responded with batons, water cannons and tear gas when some of the protesters began throwing rocks. The protest lasted for more than two hours.

Unconfirmed reports indicated that as many as 10 people may have been injured in clashes between police and protesters. A spokesperson at the U.S. Embassy in Beirut said all the embassy's employees were safe.

The protesters said they want more action from Arab countries to pressure the United States to stop what they see as Israeli aggression.

Protests were also reported in Tunisia, Egypt and Jordan.



 
 
 
 







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