Israeli warplanes violate Lebanese airspace in low-flying sorties

BEIRUT – Lebanese officials say 12 Israeli warplanes have violated Lebanese airspace in less than 24 hours, flying low in several sorties over southern Lebanon.

A Lebanese army statement says the last of the sorties was at 2 a.m. local time Wednesday. It says four warplanes which flew in over the southermost coastal town of Naqoura flew for several hours over villages in south Lebanon before leaving Lebanese airspace.

It says similar flights by eight other warplanes were conducted Tuesday.

There was no immediate comment from Israel.

Israeli violations of Lebanese airspace are not uncommon but officials say they have increased in the past few days.