Hezbollah fires 'intense rocket barrages' at Israeli positions

Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah group said it launched several rocket salvos at Israeli army positions in the annexed Golan Heights on Tuesday "in response" to Israeli strikes on eastern Lebanon the previous day.

Hezbollah fighters launched "intense rocket barrages" at two Israeli army positions in the occupied Golan Heights "in response to the Israeli enemy's attack on the Bekaa" Valley -- which a source close to Hezbollah said targeted weapons depots in the eastern region.

The Israeli military confirmed that around 55 projectiles were identified crossing from Lebanese territory.

"Some of the projectiles were intercepted, and the rest fell in open areas. No injuries were reported," the military said in a statement, adding that some of the rockets had ignited fires.

The military said its forces struck one of the launchers from which the rockets were launched.

The latest salvos from the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement came after Israel struck weapons depots deep inside eastern Lebanon on Monday.

That Israeli strike came after a soldier in northern Israel was killed by Hezbollah fire, the latest death in 10 months of cross-border exchanges between Iran-backed Hezbollah and Israeli forces.

The violence has killed 585 people in Lebanon, mostly Hezbollah fighters but also including at least 128 civilians, according to an AFP tally.

On the Israeli side, including in the annexed Golan Heights, 23 soldiers and 26 civilians have been killed, according to army figures.

Fears of an escalation have mounted since Hezbollah and Iran vowed to respond after an Israeli strike on Beirut last month killed a top Hezbollah commander, Fuad Shukr, shortly before an attack in Tehran blamed on Israel killed Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh.