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Thu Mar 23, 10:48 AM ET
A total of 16 Israeli warplanes violated Lebanese airspace amid continued tensions along the border between the two countries, the Lebanese army said in a statement.
Six Israeli fighter-bombers overflew the disputed Shebaa Farms area where the Lebanese, Israeli and Syrian borders meet while another 10 overflew the capital Beirut and other coastal areas before flying home.
"Army units have been instructed to stay on maximum alert in readiness for any aggression," it said.
The Israeli army fired dozens of illumination flares over the Shebaa Farms overnight Wednesday, in an area where Shiite fundamentalist group Hezbollah continues to harass Israeli forces, Lebanese police said.
The Israeli army said earlier this month it had gone into a "maximum" state of alert on the Lebanese border to thwart any new offensive from the Lebanese militia ahead of the Jewish state's March 28 election.
Last week, UN chief Kofi Annan urged the leaders of Syria, Israel and Lebanon to do their utmost to prevent a new flare-up of violence, warning them of a possible "major confrontation" along Israel's northern border.
Beirut has filed repeated complaints to the United Nations -- which has in turn called for Israel to halt violations of Lebanese airspace -- following the May 2000 Israeli troop pullout from southern Lebanon after 22 years of occupation.
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