The Gaza-ruling Islamic Hamas movement slammed on Wednesday Israel's "aggression" on southern Lebanon that left three Lebanese soldiers and a reporter killed on Tuesday.

"The Lebanese army has the full right to defend territories under its sovereignty," Hamas said in a press release.

The Islamic movement said the Israeli deadly attacks on southern Lebanon, the Gaza Strip and the West Bank prove that the "occupation only knows the language of terror and war."

"We urge the United Nations and its Security Council to take immediate action against the assault," according to the press release.

Three Lebanese soldiers, a reporter and an Israeli army officer were killed as Israeli and Lebanese forces exchanged fire in a sudden burst of clash on Tuesday.

According to sources in the Lebanese army, the clashes broke out when a force from the Israeli army entered the Lebanese territory to cut a tree.

Israel said its soldiers were going to cut a branch of a tree on their own side that was tripping an electric fence.

Tuesday's incident is the worst since the end of the 2006 war between Israel and the Lebanese Shiite party of Hezbollah.