The incident began when Israeli army forces operated in an area where four explosive devices planted by Hizbullah were uncovered on February 5. The Israeli army spokesman asserted that the forces operated within Israel's territory, south of the international border, in order to confirm that no additional explosive devices were planted in the area.

A Lebanese army unit believed the force aimed at crossing the international border and shot above the Israeli soldiers' heads. In response, an Israeli tank fired back. Reports of casualties on the Lebanese side were refuted by a Lebanese military spokesman, the Lebanese daily A-Nahhar reported.

"We have no intention of causing the situation in the region to deteriorate or escalate. However, in any place where there will be fire that endangers Israeli army forces, we will have to respond," Israeli Defense Minister Amir Peretz told reporters.

Lebanon's Al-Mustaqbal chairman, Sa'ad A-Din Al-Hariri, condemned what he described as "attempts by the Israeli enemy army to cross the Lebanese southern border". Al-Hariri is son of the murdered former president, Rafiq Al-Hariri. He is one of the leading politicians today in the Lebanese political arena.

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