Pro-Syrian Hizbollah guerrillas launched a raid into northern Israel today in a botched attempt to capture Israeli troops, triggering the worst round of fighting since Israel pulled out of south Lebanon five years ago.
Lebanese security sources said Hizbollah guerrillas raided Israeli posts in the Israeli part of the divided border village of Ghajar in an attempt to capture soldiers to exchange for Lebanese and Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
Israel has in the past released hundreds of prisoners in exchange for Israeli detainees or the remains of dead soldiers.
Hizbollah said four of its fighters were killed. Israeli security sources said 11 Israelis, mostly soldiers, were wounded. One Israeli was earlier said to have died, but security sources later corrected that, saying he was critically wounded.
The biggest attack in the border area since Israeli troops quit Lebanon in 2000 triggered hours of Israeli airstrikes and fierce artillery and rocket duels.
A Hizbollah statement said the fighting began after two Israeli vehicles crossed the border into Lebanese territory.
Israeli Deputy Defence Minister Zeev Boim said Hizbollah "almost certainly initiated" the attack in a bid to ease international pressure on Syria over the killing of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri.