The Lebanese army and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) say Israel has fired four artillery shells into the southern areas of Lebanon, Press TV reports.


Officials within the Lebanese army and the UNIFIL said on Tuesday that the Israeli shelling took place after a rocket was fired into northern Israel from Lebanon, a Press TV correspondent reported.

The UNIFIL and the Lebanese army have launched an inquiry into the incident. Reports say an offshoot of al-Qaeda, based in southern Lebanon, has claimed responsibility for the rocket attack.

UNIFIL officials said the incident was aimed at undermining stability in southern Lebanon, adding that the UNIFIL has deployed additional troops to the area to prevent escalation of attacks.

Meanwhile, Lebanese President Michel Suleiman said the artillery fire by Israel was a violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701.

Passed in August 2006, UN Security Council Resolution 1701 called for “a full cessation of hostilities in the month-long war between Israel and Hezbollah.”