Israel beefs Lebanese cows, seizes seven for straying across border

At least seven cows belonging to Lebanese farmers were seized by Israeli forces along the border on Sunday.

The animals allegedly strayed into Israeli territory, prompting local troops to intervene, a Lebanese security source said, according to local outlet The Daily Star.

The capture took place as some 15 Israeli soldiers searched an area along the southern border with Lebanon, the source added.

It is unclear what happened to the cows.

Skirmishes along the Israel-Lebanon border are not new, and Israeli soldiers have been accused of routinely attempting to abduct Lebanese shepherds, forcing them to provide information on Lebanese army and Hizballah positions, among other reasons.

In 2016, Israeli forces snatched hundreds of goats from a south Lebanon border village after failing to kidnap a goat herder, according to the National News Agency.

Israeli soldiers allegedly first tried to kidnap the Lebanese shepherd named as Mohammad Qassem Hashem near the Israeli-occupied Shebaa Farms.

When Hashem slipped from their hands, the soldiers stole more than 400 goats he owned, in an apparent act of revenge.

Israel invaded Lebanon in 1978, 1982 and 2006, and waged several major wars on its nothern neighbour to put down Palestinian and Lebanese operations.

In 2000, Israel ended its 22-year occupation of south Lebanon following a guerilla campaign led by Hezbollah, but continues to occupy a number of villages and farms.

Beirut is currently engaged in indirect negotiations with Israel over land and maritime border issues, which will enable the two countries to begin gas exploration in eastern Mediterranean waters. 

Israel and Lebanon each claim about 860 square kilometres of waters in the Mediterranean Sea.

The Shebaa Farms area of the Golan Heights, which was illegally annexed by Israel following war with Syria in 1967, is contested by Lebanon, Syria, and Israel.

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