VOA标准英语2010年-Israeli, Lebanese Forces Clash on Bord

Israeli soldiers look through the sights of their weapons from a position in northern Israel overlooking the Israeli-Lebanese border, 03 Aug 2010

Israeli and Lebanese troops exchanged fire in an incident that broke years of relative calm on the border.  There are conflicting accounts of what happened.

Israeli version of events

The Israeli army says its troops came under sniper fire during a routine operation on Israel's side of the frontier.  An Israeli battalion¹ commander was killed and another officer seriously wounded.

Army spokesman Avi Benayahu told Israel Radio this was an unprecedented² provocation³ by the Lebanese Army and a blatant⁴ violation⁵ of ceasefire agreements.

Lebanese version of events

The Lebanese military says it soldiers opened fire when the Israelis strayed across the border to cut down a tree.  Lebanon accused Israel of aggression⁶ and said the army would act to defend the nation's sovereign borders.

Israel's reaction was swift.  Troops responded with light arms fire and artillery⁷.  Then a helicopter fired missiles at several Lebanese armored vehicles.  Three Lebanese soldiers and a journalist were killed.

Fighting is rare

It was the most serious clash on the border since the Lebanon War four years ago, when Israel battled the Islamic guerrilla group Hezbollah.  But fighting between the Israeli and Lebanese armies is extremely rare.

The U.N. peacekeeping force in South Lebanon, UNIFIL, sought to calm tensions. "The important aspect of what we have been doing today, our immediate⁸ priority, was to restore calm in the area; and we are still urging both parties to exercise maximum restraint," said UNIFIL spokesman Andrea Tenenti.

The head of Israel's northern command said he does not expect an escalation⁹. The general said the Lebanese Army asked for a cease-fire, and therefore, he believes this was a "one-time event."
 

1 battalion   

n.营；部队；大队(的人)

参考例句：

• The town was garrisoned by a battalion.该镇由一营士兵驻守。
• At the end of the drill parade,the battalion fell out.操练之后，队伍解散了。

2 unprecedented   

adj.无前例的，新奇的

参考例句：

• The air crash caused an unprecedented number of deaths.这次空难的死亡人数是空前的。
• A flood of this sort is really unprecedented.这样大的洪水真是十年九不遇。

3 provocation   

n.激怒，刺激，挑拨，挑衅的事物，激怒的原因

参考例句：

• He's got a fiery temper and flares up at the slightest provocation.他是火爆性子，一点就着。
• They did not react to this provocation.他们对这一挑衅未作反应。

4 blatant   

adj.厚颜无耻的；显眼的；炫耀的

参考例句：

• I cannot believe that so blatant a comedy can hoodwink anybody.我无法相信这么显眼的一出喜剧能够欺骗谁。
• His treatment of his secretary was a blatant example of managerial arrogance.他管理的傲慢作风在他对待秘书的态度上表露无遗。

5 violation   

n.违反(行为)，违背(行为)，侵犯

参考例句：

• He roared that was a violation of the rules.他大声说，那是违反规则的。
• He was fined 200 dollars for violation of traffic regulation.他因违反交通规则被罚款200美元。

6 aggression   

n.进攻，侵略，侵犯，侵害

参考例句：

• So long as we are firmly united, we need fear no aggression.只要我们紧密地团结，就不必惧怕外来侵略。
• Her view is that aggression is part of human nature.她认为攻击性是人类本性的一部份。

7 artillery   

n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队)

参考例句：

• This is a heavy artillery piece.这是一门重炮。
• The artillery has more firepower than the infantry.炮兵火力比步兵大。

8 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

9 escalation   

n.扩大，增加

参考例句：

• The threat of nuclear escalation remains. 核升级的威胁仍旧存在。 来自辞典例句
• Escalation is thus an aspect of deterrence and of crisis management. 因此逐步升级是威慑和危机处理的一个方面。 来自辞典例句