Beirut - An Israeli gunboat violated Lebanese territorial waters early Sunday, a Lebanese army statement said.

"The boat crossed the territorial waters off the coast of the southern port of Tyre," the statement said.

In a separate incident in southern Lebanon, shepherd Mohammed Mustafa from the border village of Wazzani was believed by police and local people to have been seized by Israeli troops.

Israeli forces are thought in the past to have seized Lebanese shepherds along the border for questioning over links with Hezbollah militants. The detainees are released soon afterwards. (dpa)