UPDATE 2 – Israel says Hezbollah tunnel found on Lebanon border

UPDATES WITH LEBANON'S PRESIDENT'S STANCE, ADDS MORE DETAILS </p> <p>By Wassim Saif al-Din</p> <p> </p> <p>JERUSALEM/BEIRUT (AA) – The Israeli military said Tuesday a cross-border tunnel was discovered near border with Lebanon. </p> <p>In a statement, the army said the tunnel was dug by Lebanese group Hezbollah south of Lebanese town of Kafr Kela. </p> <p>“[The tunnel] did not pose an immediate threat to Israeli communities in the surrounding area,” the statement said. </p> <p>Earlier Tuesday, the army launched a military operation to “expose and thwart” cross-border tunnels allegedly dug by Hezbollah along border with Lebanon. </p> <p>The Israeli army says the effort, called Operation Northern Shield, “aims at thwarting Hezbollah’s offensive tunnels stretched inside Israeli territories”. </p> <p>Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, for his part, hailed what he described as successes of the anti-tunnel operation. </p> <p>“The operation's goal is exposing and neutralizing terror tunnels from Lebanon,” he said in a statement. </p> <p>&quot;Whoever tries to harm the State of Israel will pay a heavy price,” he said. “We are acting with determination and responsibility in all sectors simultaneously. We will continue with other actions, overt and covert, in order to ensure Israel's security.&quot; </p> <p>Meanwhile, Lebanon’s President Michel Aoun has asked his country’s security apparatuses to closely monitor the Israeli “digging works off the Lebanese territories,” Lebanon’s official news agency (NNA) reported.</p> <p>Aoun also held contacts with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri, and Army Commander Gen. Joseph Aoun over the Israeli operations.</p> <p>Hezbollah has not yet comment on the Israeli claims.</p> <p>In 2006, Israel launched a war against Hezbollah during which at least 1,200 people, mostly Lebanese civilians, were killed.