Israeli who slipped over Lebanon border returns home

The Israeli citizen who crossed the border into Lebanon illegally earlier this week returned to Israel on Sunday, the Israel Defense Forces said.

Simon Saadati, 34, was handed over to Israel Police after crossing back over the border accompanied by the International Committee of the Red Cross, the IDF said.

Lebanon's army arrested Saadati last Wednesday after he crossed the northern border near Rosh Hanikra. The IDF said forces at a lookout station near the border only noticed the man after he made it over the fence and entered Lebanon.

The IDF said following Saadati's arrest that he would likely be interrogated and then released and returned to Israel once Lebanese intelligence established he was not an Israeli soldier or agent.

There have been several incidents in the past in which Israeli citizens crossed the border at Rosh Hanikra, through the beach and near Har Dov. Some of these were Israeli Arabs returned to Israel after a few weeks after the Lebanese determined they posed no security risk.