Northern Israel hit by Lebanon rocket fire

Israeli police said at least three rockets were fired into northern Israel from Lebanon today and rescue services reported at least one person wounded.

Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said the rockets fell around the town of Nahariya, five miles south of the Lebanese border.

Israeli defence officials said the military had been on alert for rocket attacks by Lebanon’s Hezbollah militia since Israel intensified its battle against Palestinian rocket squads in Gaza, on Israel’s southern flank.

At the same time, six rockets from Gaza hit towns in southern Israel.

Lebanese TV stations said Israeli forces had fired mortars across the border after the rocket attack.

Hezbollah’s al-Manar and other TV stations say five mortar shells fired from Israel fell near the border inside Lebanon. No injuries were reported.

Hezbollah had no immediate comment. The heavily-armed group is a strong ally of Hamas but it has held its fire after Israel attacked the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. Palestinian radicals also have a presence in south Lebanon.

Israel has warned of massive retaliation if attacked.

Hezbollah has said it did not want to draw Lebanon into a war but was ready to fight back.