Israeli troops accidentally fired a shell into Lebanese territory today during an attempt to blow up mines planted by Hizbullah guerrillas near an army border post, the Israeli army said.
The shelling caused no casualties or damage, an army spokeswoman said.
She said the mines were laid two weeks ago and that given the danger of sending sappers out to the exposed border area, soldiers had been trying to neutralise the explosives by firing shells at them. Several rounds were fired today.
Details of the incident had been passed on to the Lebanese government via United Nations peacekeepers, the spokeswoman added.
There have been sporadic clashes between Shia Muslim Hizbullah and Israeli forces along the border in recent years, particularly in the Shebaa Farms area which Hizbullah claims is occupied Lebanese land.
The United Nations considers Shebaa Farms to be Syrian territory occupied by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war and part of future peace talks between Israel and Damascus.
Israel withdrew its forces from south Lebanon in 2000 after a 22-year occupation.