The finger of blame was being pointed at Hezbollah on Friday over the downing of an military helicopter that left an army officer dead.

First Lieutenant Samer Hanna, 25, was killed when his helicopter was hit by gunfire on Thursday during a training mission in a region known as a Hezbollah stronghold in southern Lebanon.

"The area where this distressing incident took place is, as everybody knows, under the control of the Resistance (Hezbollah)," said former Prime Minister Salim al-Hoss, who is considered close to the Hezbollah-led opposition.

"Hezbollah must explain and not justify what happened, because the death of a brilliant officer cannot be justified whatever the circumstances of the incident," Hoss said in a statement.

The pro-opposition newspaper As-Safir also blamed Hezbollah, reporting that “It seems that poor advance coordination between the army and the Resistance about the helicopter's overflight as well as the state of mobilization in Resistance ranks due to Israeli threats led to the confusion.”

"Hezbollah militants thought it was an Israeli commando raid," the paper said, adding that when the fighters realized the mistake they immediately transported the lieutenant to the hospital.

Hezbollah itself has yet to release a statement or comment on the matter.

-AFP