Israeli warplanes dropped over the southern town of Nabatiyeh Saturday balloons containing poisonous material, the National News Agency said.
It said at about 9 am Israeli fighter jets dropped around 10 balloons containing poisonous substance carrying Hebrew markings.
The balloons, which are usually fitted with small parachutes, landed in upper Nabatiyeh, according to the report which couldn't be independently verified.
The NNA said five people were hospitalized after inhaling toxic gases.
It said the army's engineering unit headed to the area and destroyed the balloons by explosives.
The army, in a communiqué issued Friday, warned civilians against messing with the balloons and urged them to report finding them to the closest army unit.
Beirut, 27 Jan 07, 11:43
update:
Eight people were hospitalized Saturday after inhaling toxic gases from poisonous balloons dropped by Israeli warplanes over Upper Nabatiyeh in southern Lebanon, the National News Agency reported. NNA said among those who were rushed to hospital suffering from nausea and fatigue were a Lebanese staff sergeant, a recruit and An Nahar reporter Rana Jouni.
The agency said Israeli warplanes dropped at least 10 poisonous balloons with Hebrew markings over Upper Nabatiyeh at about 9 am Saturday.
NNA said contacts have been made between the Lebanese army command and the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon, which has instructed an Italian peacekeeping unit to take samples from the balloons for examination. The agency said the results are likely to come out on Sunday.
NNA had earlier said that the Lebanese army's engineering unit headed to the area and destroyed the balloons by explosives.
The army, in a communiqué issued Friday, warned civilians against messing with the balloons and urged them to report finding them to the closest army unit.
Beirut, 27 Jan 07, 11:43
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