By Stan Goodenough
May 21, 2005
Hizballah terrorists based in southern Lebanon fired at least eight mortar shells at an IDF post in the Golan Heights Saturday afternoon.
No injuries were reported in the shelling, and IDF forces returned fire.
The attack followed an incident wherein soldiers stationed at the post fired warning shots to deter a group of Lebanese shepherds that had crossed the border into Israel.
Hizballah claimed the IDF opened fire on Lebanese homes, thereby justifying the latest of what has become increasingly frequent bombardments of civilians and military personnel in northern Israel.
The IDF believes Hizballah is intentionally using local shepherds and other Lebanese civilians in an effort to escalate tensions with Israel.
?It should be emphasized that the Hizbullah terrorist organization uses these tactics to cause provocations along the Israeli Lebanese border and to provoke the IDF to respond,? read an official statement released by the army.
IDF forces went on high alert along the border following Saturday's barrage, though no serious retaliation is expected.
Jerusalem has traditionally refrained from meeting Hizballah aggression with heavy force unless Israeli civilians are first killed.