According to the spokeswoman, the navy ship was hit by a rocket and the attack caused damage to the vessel but it did not sink. The army was attempting to locate the sailors and has informed their families of the events.

Early Saturday the Israeli warship was still at sea off the coast from Beirut in a semi-operational state and a search was underway for the four missing crewmen, said the spokeswoman.

Lebanese ANB television reported earlier that Hizbollah pounded an Israeli gunboat with rocket Friday night, adding that the vessel was sinking.

During Friday's attack, a foreign civilian vessel, believed to be Egyptian, was also hit and set ablaze. But there was no more reports about whether there were any casualties aboard the foreign vessel that was also struck.