Israeli army crosses Lebanese border in limited operation

Israeli ground troops entered southern Lebanon to attack Hezbollah bases on the border, a government spokesman said today, but rapidly returned to Israel after conducting their military operations.

Israel's six-day-old offensive against Hezbollah following the capture of two Israeli soldiers has been primarily an aerial campaign, but government spokesman, Asaf Shariv, said the Israeli army chief of staff confirmed that ground troops had gone into Lebanon, if only briefly.