A new-type rocket fired by Lebanon's Hezbollah guerillas hit the Afula area in Israel on Friday, the furthest south into Israel that Hezbollah rockets have reached since the violence between the two sides erupted on July 12, local newspaper Ha'aretz reported on its website.

Initial investigation showed that the Hezbollah rocket had a range of 90 km, said the report.

Considering the level of damage caused by the rocket and the size of the warhead, Israeli security officials suggested that the rocket could have weighed up to 100 kg, the report added.

Meanwhile, according to Israeli military sources, Hezbollah has moved some of its rocket and missile launchers further northin side Lebanon following Israel air raids aimed to destroy them.

Afula, about 50 km from the Israel-Lebanon border, is the furthest area inside Israel to be hit by an Hezbollah rocket.

Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah said on Tuesday that the Lebanese Shiite group would start rocket attacks beyond the northern Israeli city of Haifa, which is about 35 km from the border.

"We are entering a new phase in the confrontation with Israel and it is the phase of (firing rockets) beyond Haifa," Nasrallah said in a televised speech on Hezbollah's al-Manar TV.

Hezbollah guerillas have showered Israel with rockets as Israel has continued a 17-day-old massive assault in Lebanon since Hezbollah kidnapped two Israeli soldiers and killed eight during cross-border attacks on July 12.