Israel artillery retaliated with two barrages of artillery fire after at least three rockets were fired into northern Israel from Lebanon on Wednesday. There were no reports of damage or injury caused by the Israeli shells, said Yasmina Bouziane, UNIFIL spokeswoman of the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon, known as UNIFIL The rockets fired from Lebanon landed in open areas and caused no damage or injuries, she added. UNIFIL commander Major General Claudio Graziano urged maximum restraint after the incidents. The Lebanese government condemned the attack, the second launched from Lebanon against Israel since it began its offensive in the Gaza Strip on Dec. 27. Information Minister Tareq Mitri said it “gave Israel an excuse to harm the national interest”. The army deployed additional forces in the south to boost its “defensive capabilities,” a military source said. The Lebanese political and military group Hezbollah, which has a minister in the government, did not immediately comment on the attack. The group, which fought a 34-day war with Israel in 2006, denied any role in a similar attack last week. Israeli officials blamed smaller, armed Palestinian factions in Lebanon. The Lebanese army and members of UNIFIL also deactivated three rockets rigged to launch an hour after they had been found, the army said. There has been no claims of responsibility for the rocket attacks. Israel sent telephone warnings to residents of south Lebanon following the attacks. “People of Lebanon, launching rockets from southern Lebanon... harms your own interests,” one of the warnings said.
