SIDON, Lebanon: The Lebanese Army continued late Monday evening to search for an unidentified object which allegedly fell from the sky, following a similar occurrence late in October, with security sources saying they could not rule out the possibility it was an Israeli spy device.

Residents of the towns of al-Matarieh and al-Kharayeb in the southern Lebanese area of Zahrani first reported seeing an object falling from the sky Monday afternoon, although there were conflicting reports on the exact nature and shape of the body.

Some described it as looking like a parachute, with something attached to it, and others saying that it resembled a small hot air balloon.

The Army brought in reinforcements to help in the search and, with the help of the Internal Security Forces, cordoned off the area.

Security sources said that the object - from the information they have about its shape, and about the way it fell – resembles the shape and form of the unidentified and as yet undiscovered object which fell in late October.

An object was reported to have fallen from the sky in the in mountainous Wadi Hujeir area of the Litani River in southern Lebanon Oct. 29.

Members of the Lebanese Army, Hezbollah security personnel and the United National Interim Forces in Lebanon personnel searched the area for several days, but found no trace of the object, which some reports claimed was an Israeli drone. In the 2006 War, the area of Wadi Hujeir saw battles between Hezbollah and the Israeli Army.

The security sources said the exact nature of these two unidentified objects, and they reason they have fallen, cannot be identified until they are located.

Security sources said Monday they could not rule out the possibility that the unidentified falling object originated from Israel, and said that it could possibly be a spy device or part of an aggressive action against Lebanon.