An army spokesman told Xinhua that the northern Israeli community of Shlomi was hit by the rockets, blaming the Lebanese Hizbollah militia for the attack.

The casualty was not immediately known, the spokesman added.

Shortly after the rocket firing, the Israeli army pounded southern Lebanon, stronghold of Hizbollah.

Israeli troops also exchanged fire with Lebanese militants over the Israel-Lebanon border, Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz reported.

Residents living in northern Israel have entered bomb shelters as gun battles broke out in north, the report said.