[TheBattman]

The Israeli troops had to not only come under fire, but then had to sit and wait for them to stop firing on them before they could return fire? What sort of rules of engagement is that? Once certain to bring defeat?

And if these were indeed Lebanese troops - there should be Hell to pay...

But Olmert the French-like idiot will let it slide...

[Captain Rhino]

The army said troops operating in Israeli territory along the frontier came under fire, and that the source of the shooting was apparently Lebanese troops nearby. When the attackers refused to cease fire, the Israeli troops opened fire at them, the army said.

Information is, of course, incomplete but I suspect that there is probably some sort of protocol in the ceasefiure that allows for one party to identify itself to the other in the case of poor visibility/third party intrusion, etc. (with the expectation that firing will cease when they have done so). I suspect the Israelis probably followed the protocol and then opened fire when the Lebanese troops (probably Shia) refused to stop firing.

The interesting thing is the the UN spokesman said there had been no reports of firing along the border. Wonder what the threshold for reporting is?