The Lebanese army is investigating the poisoning of eight soldiers last week by an unknown gas from a newly installed Israeli security camera on the disputed border, a Lebanese source told The National.
“The army collected samples of the gas and is conducting an investigation into the incident,” the source said.
The soldiers had been trying to turn the camera away from its view of their country because they believed Israel had breached sovereignty by installing it on Lebanese territory.
Eight troops were briefly in hospital after suffering symptoms including vomiting. Israel then removed the camera.
The source said this was the first incident of its kind. It is common for Israel to install cameras to monitor Lebanese territory, but the cameras are usually on its side of the border.
Israeli also monitors Lebanon with surveillance drones that routinely breach Lebanese airspace.
Lebanon, which has no radar system to detect aircraft and no air defence system, can do little apart from complain to the UN.
In late August, a Lebanese soldier opened fire with an M16 assault rifle at three Israeli drones flying over South Lebanon a few days after an Israeli drone exploded in Hezbollah’s stronghold in South Beirut.
The border between Lebanon and Israel, which are still technically at war since the 1948 Arab-Israeli war, remains disputed in many areas.
In the absence of an official border, they respect the "Blue Line", or line of withdrawal of the Israeli army in 2000, when it left South Lebanon after 22 years of occupation.
A spokesman for the UN Interim Force in Lebanon, which patrols the border region alongside the Lebanese army to monitor the ceasefire, said an incident occurred involving a camera installed by Israel but did not confirm the gas leak.
The UN force received information on September 25 that the Israeli army had installed a camera at the northern entrance of an unused railway tunnel in Ras Al Naqoura, a Southern Lebanese town near the Blue Line.
"Unifil immediately activated its liaison channels with both the parties in an effort to mitigate tensions and resolve the issue in a co-ordinated manner," UN force spokesman Andrea Tenenti told The National.
“The next morning, on September 26, due to Unifil’s urgent intervention, the Israeli Defence Force informed us that the camera would be removed soon. This was done later the same day."
Local daily Al Akhbar reported on Wednesday that "after numerous demands from the Lebanese army for the UN forces to remove the camera', soldiers tried to block its view.
“Pipes near the camera produced smoke of low toxicity that caused eight soldiers to choke and faint,” the paper said.
The incident lead to “tension on both sides of the border”, which lessened after Israel removed the camera.
Weapons’ experts doubted that the camera was booby-trapped but may have contained chemicals to keep away animals.
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
Adele: The Stories Behind The Songs
Caroline Sullivan
Carlton Books
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates, Etihad and Swiss fly direct from the UAE to Zurich from Dh2,855 return, including taxes.
The chalet
Chalet N is currently open in winter only, between now and April 21. During the ski season, starting on December 11, a week’s rental costs from €210,000 (Dh898,431) per week for the whole property, which has 22 beds in total, across six suites, three double rooms and a children’s suite. The price includes all scheduled meals, a week’s ski pass, Wi-Fi, parking, transfers between Munich, Innsbruck or Zurich airports and one 50-minute massage per person. Private ski lessons cost from €360 (Dh1,541) per day. Halal food is available on request.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
MATCH INFO
Chelsea 1
Alonso (62')
Huddersfield Town 1
Depoitre (50')
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
List of alleged parties
May 12, 2020: PM and his wife Carrie attend 'work meeting' with at least 17 staff
May 20, 2020: They attend 'bring your own booze party'
Nov 27, 2020: PM gives speech at leaving party for his staff
Dec 10, 2020: Staff party held by then-education secretary Gavin Williamson
Dec 13, 2020: PM and his wife throw a party
Dec 14, 2020: London mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey holds staff event at Conservative Party headquarters
Dec 15, 2020: PM takes part in a staff quiz
Dec 18, 2020: Downing Street Christmas party
More on animal trafficking
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
The specs
Engine: 1.6-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 217hp at 5,750rpm
Torque: 300Nm at 1,900rpm
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Price: from Dh130,000
On sale: now
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Abandon
Sangeeta Bandyopadhyay
Translated by Arunava Sinha
Tilted Axis Press
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