Army blows top over pics

A group of female Israeli soldiers have been disciplined after posting pictures of themselves in their underwear on Facebook.

One picture showed four women, who are new recruits, dropping their army trousers to reveal their thongs.

Another image showed five scantily clad recruits wearing only helmets and some combat equipment.

The pictures received multiple "likes" on Facebook, along with numerous enthusiastic comments.

The enthusiasm was not shared by Israel's commanding military brass, who announced that the women had been given stern "educational lectures" about their future conduct.

The Israeli Defence Force said: "The picture in question represents behaviour unbecoming to soldiers. The commanding officers disciplined the soldiers as they saw fitting."

A defence spokesman said the women had not joined their units when the incidents occurred. There was no question of their being expelled from the army, he said.

The women are understood to have been undergoing basic training at an infantry training school in southern Israel.