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| Hezbollah 'sends anti-escalation message' to Israel | Hezbollah 'sends anti-escalation message' to Israel |
| (less than a minute earlier) | |
| Israel says it has received a message from Lebanese militant group Hezbollah saying it does not want a further escalation after border clashes on Wednesday that killed three people. | Israel says it has received a message from Lebanese militant group Hezbollah saying it does not want a further escalation after border clashes on Wednesday that killed three people. |
| Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon said the message was passed by the UN mission, but Israeli troops remained "prepared". | Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon said the message was passed by the UN mission, but Israeli troops remained "prepared". |
| The two Israeli soldiers killed in the exchange were buried on Thursday. A Spanish UN peacekeeper was also killed. | The two Israeli soldiers killed in the exchange were buried on Thursday. A Spanish UN peacekeeper was also killed. |
| Hezbollah and Israel fought a deadly war in 2006, which ended in stalemate. | Hezbollah and Israel fought a deadly war in 2006, which ended in stalemate. |
| That conflict lasted a month and caused death, destruction and disruption on both sides of the border. | That conflict lasted a month and caused death, destruction and disruption on both sides of the border. |
| The feeling now is that neither Hezbollah nor Israel has much interest in an escalation to that point, says the BBC's Jim Muir in Beirut. | The feeling now is that neither Hezbollah nor Israel has much interest in an escalation to that point, says the BBC's Jim Muir in Beirut. |
| Hezbollah is already heavily embroiled in the war in Syria, while Israel's leaders face general elections in March. | Hezbollah is already heavily embroiled in the war in Syria, while Israel's leaders face general elections in March. |
| They could benefit if a robust response was seen to punish Hezbollah without repercussions, but a disruptive war could backfire at the polls, our correspondent adds. | They could benefit if a robust response was seen to punish Hezbollah without repercussions, but a disruptive war could backfire at the polls, our correspondent adds. |
| Call for calm | Call for calm |
| Confirming that the Hezbollah message had been passed on by the UN force, Unifil, Mr Yaalon added: | Confirming that the Hezbollah message had been passed on by the UN force, Unifil, Mr Yaalon added: |
| "I can't say whether the events are behind us. | "I can't say whether the events are behind us. |
| "Until the area completely calms down, the Israel Defense Forces will remain prepared and ready." | "Until the area completely calms down, the Israel Defense Forces will remain prepared and ready." |
| Wednesday's cross-border violence erupted when Israeli military vehicles were struck by anti-tank missiles near Mt Dov, in the Shebaa Farms area, a tract of land where the borders of Israel, Lebanon and Syria meet. | Wednesday's cross-border violence erupted when Israeli military vehicles were struck by anti-tank missiles near Mt Dov, in the Shebaa Farms area, a tract of land where the borders of Israel, Lebanon and Syria meet. |
| Hezbollah said it was retaliation for an Israeli air strike that killed six of its fighters and an Iranian Revolutionary Guards general in the Syrian Golan Heights 10 days ago. | Hezbollah said it was retaliation for an Israeli air strike that killed six of its fighters and an Iranian Revolutionary Guards general in the Syrian Golan Heights 10 days ago. |
| The UN Security Council is to discuss the fighting at an emergency meeting called by France in New York. | The UN Security Council is to discuss the fighting at an emergency meeting called by France in New York. |
| A senior UN official on the ground in Lebanon urged "maximum restraint to prevent an escalation". | A senior UN official on the ground in Lebanon urged "maximum restraint to prevent an escalation". |
| Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held an emergency security meeting and said the attackers would "pay the full price". | Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held an emergency security meeting and said the attackers would "pay the full price". |
| Mid-East media wary of escalation | Mid-East media wary of escalation |
| What are the Shebaa Farms? | What are the Shebaa Farms? |