A border skirmish between Lebanese Army Forces (LAF) and Israel Defense Forces (IDF) took place around noon local time Aug. 3 near the Lebanese village of Aadaisse, across the border from Misgav Am. The IDF has said Lebanese forces fired on an Israeli position and that the incident took place on the Israeli side of the border west of the "Blue Line" — the border between Israel and Lebanon. At least three Lebanese soldiers, one Israeli soldier and a journalist have reportedly been killed, with wounded likely on both sides. Subsequent Israeli reports have suggested a more deliberate LAF ambush, though this has not been confirmed. The northeastern panhandle of Israeli territory, where the city of Kiryat Shmona is located, extends more than 20 kilometers (about 14 miles) north of the southernmost point on the Israel-Lebanon border. Kiryat Shmona and the areas to the north were an important staging ground for the Israeli invasion of southern Lebanon in 2006, and were used for one of three key axes of advance during the war. In addition to its utility as a staging ground for raids and offensives, the territory also offers a good position for Israeli artillery, which can range most of the battlespace in southern Lebanon.
