Israel Launches Artillery Strike On Lebanon After Rocket Attack

January 14, 2009 7:49 p.m. EST

Jerusalem, Israel (AHN) - Three rockets fired by militants in Lebanon landed near a town in northern Israel Wednesday prompting the Israeli army to fire eight artillery shells at the source of the rockets near a Lebanese town.

The exchange of Katyusha rocket and artillery fires caused no casualties on both sides. Residents of Kiryat Shmona have been moved to bomb shelters after four rockets landed near the Israeli town last Thursday.

There was no report of any casualty in the Lebanese side when artillery shells and one rocket landed near the village of Kfar Hamam. The rocket did not reach Israel and fell within Lebanon.

The Israel Defense Force blamed the Lebanese political and paramilitary group Hezbollah for the rocket fires and Beirut for failing to prevent the missile attack. But Lebanese soldiers patrolling the southern border near Israel found three rockets ready to be fired into northern Israel and dismantled them, according to Lebanese security officials.