Jerusalem: On Thursday, two rockets were fired from southern Lebanon towards Israel, prompting Israeli military operations across the border, according to sources on both sides.

The incident took place amid heightened Israeli-Arab tensions following Israel's largest military incursion in decades this week in the occupied West Bank, which was directed at the Jenin camp, a stronghold of Palestinian militants.

Two rockets were fired towards Israel, one of which landed in Lebanon and the other close to a border dispute, according to three security sources in Lebanon.

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The IDF (Israel Defence Forces) is currently attacking the area where the launch was conducted in Lebanese territory in retaliation, according to a military statement.
It was further stated that no special instructions had been given to Israeli communities close to the border. Israel typically issues a take cover order to nearby civilians during significant flare-ups.

Witnesses for Reuters reported seeing white smoke plumes rising from the hilly south. One resident of Wazzani, the southern Lebanon village where one of the rockets landed, claimed Israeli artillery fire had struck there.
According to Lebanon's National News Agency, 15 shells fired by Israel and falling in Lebanon.

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The initial reported rocket fire from Lebanon received no claims of responsibility. Najib Mikati, the interim prime minister, stated he was following up on the situation with the army chief of staff in Lebanon.

The second rocket, according to the sources in Lebanon, landed close to the disputed village of GHajjar, which lies on the border between Israel and Lebanon but is home to people who declare allegiance to Syria.

During this week's Israeli operation in the West Bank city of Jenin, Hezbollah, the formidable Iran-backed Lebanese organisation that rules southern Lebanon and has engaged in wars with Israel, expressed support for the Palestinian cause.

Regarding the reports of rocket fire, Hezbollah chose not to comment.
The armed group issued a separate statement in which it denounced the "dangerous measures" Israeli forces had taken in the northern region of GHajjar, which Lebanon claims as its own territory.

Israel was charged by Hezbollah with erecting a cement wall and wire fence. On Tuesday, the foreign ministry of Lebanon expressed concern over the actions, claiming they were bringing about a "new reality on the ground." The Hezbollah accusation received no immediate response from Israel's military.

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After the reported exchange of fire on Thursday, the UN peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon urged all parties to exercise restraint and prevent an escalation because the region had "already experienced tensions earlier this week."

During a new outbreak of Israeli-Palestinian hostility in April, Israel accused the Palestinian Islamist organisation Hamas of firing rockets into Israel from Lebanon. Israel attacked targets in Lebanon as a result of that.