BEIRUT, Jan 20: The United Nations said on Tuesday investigations had found that an Israeli military bulldozer hit in a deadly Hezbollah rocket the day before was "violating" Lebanese territory at the time.

"After investigation, UNIFIL can confirm that the Israeli bulldozer was on the Lebanese side when it was hit," said Milos Strugar, spokesman for the UN Interim Forces in Lebanon.

"It was violating the Blue Line," he said, referring to the border marked out by the United Nations when Israel ended its 22-year occupation of south Lebanon in May 2000.

An Israeli soldier was killed and another wounded in the attack on the bulldozer, triggering a retaliatory raid by Israeli warplanes on Hezbollah bases on Tuesday. Israel has insisted that the vehicle was on Israeli soil when it was hit. -AFP