Israel shells southern Lebanon after rockets hit country's north

The Israeli army has said it intercepted rocket fire from Lebanon, a day after clashes between Israeli police and Palestinians inside Islam's third-holiest site drew warnings of retaliation from around the region.

"A rocket was fired from Lebanon into Israeli territory and was successfully intercepted," an army statement said on Thursday as Israeli media reported a "salvo" of projectiles had been fired.

Israeli news outlets reported that around 30 rockets were launched from Lebanon, half of which were intercepted, while five landed in Israeli areas. 

Israel's ambulance service said one man had sustained minor shrapnel injuries.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, which came amid heightened tensions after Israeli police clashed with Palestinians inside Al Aqsa Mosque before dawn Wednesday and again in the evening.

In response, Israel struck targets in southern Lebanon, said Lebanon's National News Agency without reporting any casualties.

According to the Lebanon report, Israeli artillery fired "several shells from its positions on the border" towards the outskirts of two villages after the launch of "several Katyusha type rockets" at Israel.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was "receiving continuous updates about the security situation and will conduct an assessment with the heads of the security establishment," his office said.

Israeli emergency services reported a man had been lightly wounded by shrapnel and a female was injured while running to a shelter.

Warning sirens sounded in the town of Shlomi and in Moshav Betzet and the Galilee in northern Israel, the army said.

READ MORE: Israel troops storm Al Aqsa Mosque for second night targeting Palestinians

Al Aqsa clashes

Israeli riot police had on Wednesday stormed the prayer hall of Al Aqsa mosque in a pre-dawn raid.

The violence, during both the Jewish Passover and the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, sparked an exchange of rockets and air strikes in Gaza, with fears of further escalation.

Lebanon's pro-Iranian armed movement Hezbollah had warned earlier on Thursday it would support "all measures" that Palestinian groups may take against Israel after the clashes.

The militant group Hezbollah is the only Lebanese faction that kept its weapons after the end of the country's 1975-1990 civil war.

"Hezbollah forcefully denounces the assault carried out by the Israeli occupation forces against the Al Aqsa Mosque compound and its attacks on the faithful," Hezbollah said in a statement.

The last rocket fired from Lebanon into Israel was in April 2022.

Security incidents occur from time to time in the border area between Lebanon and Israel, which is guarded by the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon.

READ MORE: Israel, Lebanon's Hezbollah exchange cross-border fire as tensions flare