Israel shells southern Lebanon after rockets hit country’s north

Beruit, The Gulf Observer: The Israeli army has said it intercepted rocket fire from Lebanon, a day after clashes between Israeli police and Palestinians inside Islam’s third-holiest site drew warnings of retaliation from around the region.

“A rocket was fired from Lebanon into Israeli territory and was successfully intercepted,” an army statement said on Thursday as Israeli media reported a “salvo” of projectiles had been fired.

Israeli news outlets reported that around 30 rockets were launched from Lebanon, half of which were intercepted, while five landed in Israeli areas.

Israel’s ambulance service said one man had sustained minor shrapnel injuries.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, which came amid heightened tensions after Israeli police clashed with Palestinians inside Al Aqsa Mosque before dawn Wednesday and again in the evening.

In response, Israel struck targets in southern Lebanon, said Lebanon’s National News Agency without reporting any casualties.

According to the Lebanon report, Israeli artillery fired “several shells from its positions on the border” towards the outskirts of two villages after the launch of “several Katyusha type rockets” at Israel.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was “receiving continuous updates about the security situation and will conduct an assessment with the heads of the security establishment,” his office said.

Israeli emergency services reported a man had been lightly wounded by shrapnel and a female was injured while running to a shelter.

Warning sirens sounded in the town of Shlomi and in Moshav Betzet and the Galilee in northern Israel, the army said.