Ben Lynfield: Incident could be a further test by each side of the other's capabilities

YESTERDAY'S fighting along the Israel-Lebanon border is a poignant reminder that nothing was resolved by the Israel-Hezbollah war of 2006 and that the ingredients are in place for another major conflagration at some point.

Since the ceasefire went into effect that year, each side has been preparing for the next round. Israel has been testing its new Iron Dome missile shield and training troops in combat in built-up areas. Hezbollah has been expanding its rocket arsenal with the help of Iran and Syria - and, according to the Israeli military, re-establishing itself in south Lebanese villages it controlled before the fighting.

In statements, the Israeli army has charged Hezbollah with gathering "significant intelligence" on Israeli forces along the border, where each side is trying to gain advantage.

But in yesterday's clash it was the Lebanese army with whom the Israelis were battling. The Israeli perception is that Lebanese army in the south is doing the bidding of Hezbollah.

Haifa-based analyst Wadi Abu Nassar said the details of the incident were unclear, but that each side may have been testing the other's readiness.

He said: "We don't know if the Israelis crossed into Lebanese territory to test the reaction of the Lebanese army, or if Hezbollah has people in the Lebanese army who wanted to test the Israeli army."

Hezbollah appears to benefit from yesterday's fighting because it makes the point that Israel is the enemy to all Lebanese, not just itself, which is Shia Muslim organisation.

The fighting comes as Hezbollah braces for possible indictment of its personnel by the UN-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon investigating the 2005 assassination of Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has condemned the tribunal as an Israeli project.