Israeli jets roared over Lebanon today, flying as far as the northern port city of Tripoli and drawing anti-aircraft fire from Hizbollah guerrillas.
"The air defence units of the Islamic Resistance challenged ...Israeli enemy warplanes that violated Lebanese airspace," said a statement from the Shi'ite Muslim group.
Residents said Israeli jets broke the sound barrier over Tripoli, and swooped over south Lebanon and the eastern Bekaa Valley. No planes were reported hit.
Despite UN criticism, Israeli jets regularly fly into Lebanese airspace, often drawing Hizbollah fire.
Syrian and Iranian-backed Hizbollah waged a guerrilla campaign that helped end Israel's 22-year occupation of south Lebanon in May 2000.
They have since clashed with Israeli troops in the disputed Shebaa Farms area near the border between Lebanon, Israel and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. Tensions have also risen in recent months over a Lebanese project to tap a southern river Israel says it also needs.