DUBAI: Lebanese soldiers engaged Israeli forces in a tense standoff after Merkava tanks on a military training exercise crossed the technical fence between the two countries, newspaper the Daily Star reported.

The Lebanese newspaper obtained a video which showed the impasse between the troops, with the Lebanese soldiers armed with anti-tank grenade launchers as they faced at least two of Israel’s Merkava tanks in the town of Adaisseh. Peacekeeping troops from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon however managed to separate the soldiers.

The area around Adaisseh is considered a no-man’s lands, and the Israeli tanks were not thought to have crossed into Lebanese territory although this was the first time they crossed the technical fence since the Summer War of 2006.

Earlier, Israel handed over to Lebanon a shepherd who was shot by their forces as he was herding his goats in the occupied Shebaa Farms. Israel said the shooting happened after the sheep herder crossed the UN-marked Blue Line into Israeli territory.