Rockets fired from Lebanon into northern Israel

Rockets were fired for the third consecutive night in a row from southern Lebanon into northern Israel shortly after midnight, leading the Israeli army to respond with artillery fire aimed at the vicinity of the towns close to the Lebanese border, Anadolu news agency quoted a security source and eye witnesses as saying.

The security source said that unidentified men fired two rockets from the area of Ras Al-Ain near the southern city of Tyre into northern Israel, while no information was immediately available about the identity of the gunmen.

The source added that the Israeli army forces retaliated by shelling the nearby towns of Al-Hunyeh, Zebkine and Qalilah, south of Tyre, with 155mm shells as Israeli jets flew over the target area. No injuries were reported on either side.

Lebanese troops and UN forces in southern Lebanon, known as UNIFIL, were on alert and the Lebanese army blocked the roads leading to the area under Israeli bombardment.

Israel’s Walla news website reported that rockets were fired shortly after midnight from southern Lebanon towards the city of Nahariya in the Western Galilee, causing no injuries.

Israeli media, including Israel’s Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper, also reported that the Israeli army responded by shelling the Lebanese territory.

The attacks from Lebanon come at a time when Israel is waging a relentless military assault on the Gaza Strip, which Palestinian officials say has killed at least 172 people.