An Israeli boat off Khaldeh, Lebanon

In a grave military development, the first of its kind since the liberation of south Lebanon in May 2000, an Israeli gunboat was seen on Wednesday at 6. P.m. evening off Khaldeh coast. The appearance of the said boat coincided with the flying of the Israeli warplanes in the airspace of the area.

Until 7 p.m. the Israeli gunboat continued to rove in the depth of the Lebanese territorial waters.

Lebanese security sources told the Lebanese daily Assafir in its yesterday's issue that the army followed up the Israeli moves without declaring the state of alert for considerations decided by the military leadership, especially that the Israeli gunboat approaching of Beirut's suburbs is " considered a political message rather than being a security message."