Israel fires shells into Lebanon in response to rocket fire

A rocket was fired from Lebanon into northern Israel on Monday and fell in an open field near Kibbutz Matzuva, the Israeli military said.

Israel's artillery forces had fired dozens of shells at targets in Lebanon following the incident.

"In response to the projectile launched from Lebanon into northern Israel earlier tonight, IDF Artillery forces are currently targeting the source of the launch in Lebanon," a statement by the Israeli army said on Monday.

The rocket hit an area close to the Israeli fence with Lebanon, without causing damage or injuries. The Israeli army said the alert levels remained "normal" in the country and no warning sirens were sounded.

The attack was not immediately claimed by any group. However, the Israeli forces' spokesperson Ran Kochav told Kan public radio that Palestinian factions in Lebanon could be behind the attack.

"It is estimated that these are Palestinian factions and that this is related to the Ramadan period and the events of the Temple Mount,” he told Kan, referring to events in al-Aqsa compound in occupied East Jerusalem.

Israeli police and settlers have stormed al-Aqsa compound in large numbers several times, arresting Palestinians and injuring scores during violent assaults in recent weeks.

On Monday, the United Nations peacekeeping force along the border, UNIFIL, called for calm.

It tweeted that UNIFIL's head Aroldo Lazaro Saenz "urges calm and restraint in this volatile and ongoing situation."

Israel and Lebanon had fought a war in 2006 after Hezbollah captured two Israeli soldiers. The 34-day conflict killed 1,200 people in Lebanon, mostly civilians, and 160 Israelis, mostly soldiers.