SIDON, Nov 14: The Lebanese army command sternly warned on Wednesday that from now on it would respond to attacks from inside Palestinian camps, hours after a grenade was tossed at an army post.

“While the army command reasserts its interest in the security and comfort of our (Palestinian) brothers, it warns these groups against continuing such provocative activities,” it said in a statement.

The army command “asserts that it would respond with the means it sees fit to any kind of aggression that would take place from now on.”

It threatened to “arrest the culprits and prosecute them,” while “holding all forces present inside these camps responsible for the consequences of such actions.”

The army accused “wanted suspects linked to the Israeli enemy and its allies who are taking refuge in Ain el-Helweh of carrying out provocative actions.”

“Army units have observed extreme levels of self-restraint every time in order to avoid bloodshed and chances of these collaborators inciting discords and confrontations,” it said.

The army said its decision not to react to previous attempts was meant to “allow Palestinian national forces inside the camps to take up their responsibility in resolving such a situation and containing these groups.”

Unknown assailants hurled two grenades at a Lebanese army checkpoint outside the Ain el-Helweh refugee camp.—AFP