The Israeli military said on Sunday it fired artillery into an area of southern Lebanon where cross-border mortar fire took place.
The Israeli army “has been taking preparational measures for this type of possibility and will continue to operate in all regions and at any time necessary to ensure the safety of the Israeli civilians,” it said.
The statement came as Hezbollah claimed responsibility for an attack - using “large numbers of rockets and shells” - on the Israeli-occupied Shebaa Farms on Sunday, saying it was "in solidarity" with the Palestinian people.
The group said in a written statement that the attack targeted three posts including a "radar site" in the Shebaa Farms, a slice of land occupied by Israel since 1967 that Lebanon has claimed as its own.
The United Nations peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon, known as UNIFIL, said it had "detected several rockets fired from southeast Lebanon toward Israeli-occupied territory" as well as artillery fire from Israel into Lebanon in response.
"We are in contact with authorities on both sides of the Blue Line, at all levels, to contain the situation and avoid a more serious escalation," spokesperson Andrea Tenenti said.
The Blue Line is the demarcation line between Lebanon and Israel, marking where Israeli forces withdrew when they left south Lebanon in 2000.
On Saturday, UNIFIL said it had enhanced its presence in southern Lebanon following developments in Israel and Gaza, including its operations to counter rocket launches.
The UN's special coordinator for Lebanon Joanna Wronecka said on the platform X, formerly known as Twitter, that she was "deeply concerned" by the exchange of fire and urged parties to "shield Lebanon and its people from further conflagration."
