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Rockets from Lebanon hit Israel

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-01-08 16:26

Jerusalem -- At least three rockets fired from Lebanon exploded in northern Israel on Thursday, wounding two people, police and medics said, in an attack seen as linked to Israel's offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

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Israel hit back with artillery shells in what an Israeli military spokesman described as "a pinpoint response at the source of fire."

It was not immediately clear whether Lebanon's Hezbollah guerrillas -- against whom Israel fought a 2006 war -- or Palestinians fired the rockets, presenting a new challenge to Israeli leaders who have waged attacks on Gaza for 13 days.

Lebanese security sources said they felt it was unlikely Hezbollah fired the salvoes. Hamas sources in Lebanon denied involvement.

Israeli forces have been on high alert in the north fearing that Hezbollah could fire rockets into northern Israel as it did in the 2006 conflict and lend support to Hamas and the Gaza Strip's 1.5 million inhabitants.

Israeli warplanes bombed targets across the Gaza Strip on Thursday and tanks advanced in the Hamas-ruled territory as US backing for a truce proposal raised expectations of an end to the onslaught that has killed more than 600 Palestinians.

Smoke rises after an Israeli air strike in Gaza January 8, 2009. Israeli warplanes bombed targets across the Gaza Strip on Thursday and tanks advanced on Palestinian guerrillas as U.S. backing for a truce proposal raised expectations of an end to the offensive. [Agencies]

Shi'ite Hezbollah has not opened fire since Israel started bombarding the Gaza enclave nearly two weeks ago to the south of Israel with the declared aim of halting Hamas rocket attacks.

Palestinian groups in Lebanon have also been known to fire rockets and Israeli military affairs commentators said it was more likely they were responsible for the rockets that hit the Israeli resort town of Nahariya and three other locations.

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