"Israeli tanks break into the main gate of the U.N. military base"

U.N. peacekeepers in Lebanon demanded an explanation of how two Israeli tanks were forced into the main gate of the U.N. base.

Peacekeepers said two Mercaba tanks came in at around 4:30 a.m. local time on the 13th and demanded that the lights at the base be turned off, only to return in 45 minutes after receiving a complaint through a liaison channel.

He also explained that 15 soldiers were being treated for symptoms such as rash and gastrointestinal disorders after a smoke-emitting shell fell near the same base about two hours later.

Peacekeepers observed three battalions of Israeli forces entering Lebanon earlier in the day near Ramiya in southern Lebanon, crossing the "blue line" where encroachment was prohibited.

In addition, near Mace El Zebel, Israeli forces blocked the movement of essential UN supply vehicles.

The peacekeeping force says Israel's actions are a clear violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions and has called on the Israeli military to explain how.