Lebanon says Israeli gunboat violated its waters, Israel denies it

(Reuters) -The Lebanese army said on Tuesday that an Israeli gunboat had violated Lebanese territorial waters on Monday morning, an allegation denied by Israel in the second such dispute this week as the countries work toward a maritime border demarcation.

The alleged naval incursion took place in an area of the Mediterranean sea opposite Ras Naqura, the Lebanese army said.

In response, an Israeli military spokesperson said “there was no crossing” into Lebanese terrorial waters on Monday.

The countries are technically at war but this month clinched a U.S.-brokered agreement to demarcate a maritime border. The deal awaits formal announcement by Washington.

On Sunday, the Lebanese army said Israeli gunboats had violated Lebanese territorial waters several times on Saturday opposite Ras Naqura. That was also denied by Israel’s military.

(Reporting by Lina Najm and Dan Williams, Writing by Moataz Mohamed, Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)