Israel pounds south Lebanon after intercepting rockets

Israel bombarded Hezbollah targets in south Lebanon on Friday after intercepting a rocket fired from its northern neighbour, the Israeli military said, though the Iranian-backed militant group denied involvement in the incident.

Israel has vowed a strong response to protect its security in what amounted to a further blow to the shaky ceasefire deal between the sides that ended a year-long war, a spillover of the Israeli-Hamas conflict in Gaza.

A senior Hezbollah official denied the group was involved in Friday's rocket launch, which came after a rocket salvo into northern Israel on March 22 for which the Iranian-backed group also denied responsibility.

Hezbollah said the incidents appeared to be part of what it called attempts to create pretexts for the continuation of Israeli military action in Lebanon.

Defence minister Israel Katz said Israel held Lebanon responsible for missile fire into the Galilee region of northern Israel.

“We will ensure the security of the residents of Galilee and will act forcefully against any threat,” he said.

Lebanese media said Israeli warplanes were flying over the country on Friday.

A second rocket launched from south Lebanon on Friday landed inside the region, the Israeli military said.

The truce disruptions have coincided with Israel's renewal of war against the Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza, breaking a two-month-old ceasefire after the two sides could not agree on terms for extending it.

Israeli artillery and air strikes hit southern Lebanon on March 22, killing at least eight people, after Israel said it intercepted rockets fired from across the border.

Hezbollah denied responsibility for rockets fired on Saturday, saying it had “no link” to the launches and remained committed to the ceasefire.

Under a deal agreed in November, Hezbollah was to remove its weapons from southern Lebanon, Israeli ground forces were to withdraw and the Lebanese army was to deploy in the area.

The agreement tasked Lebanon's government with dismantling military infrastructure in the south and confiscating unauthorised weapons.

The truce ended Israel's bombardment and ground operations in Lebanon and Hezbollah's daily rocket fire into Israel. The sides have accused each other of failing to fully implement the terms.

Israel said Hezbollah maintains military positions in the south. Lebanon and Hezbollah said Israel continues to violate the deal by carrying out air strikes and keeping troops at five hilltop positions near the border.

Reuters