Tel Aviv, 28 December 2023 (dpa/MIA) - There were renewed exchanges of fire along the border between Israel and Lebanon on Thursday.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported numerous rocket launches from the neighbouring country towards Israeli locations.

Israeli broadcaster Channel 12 reported 50 missiles fired from Lebanon towards Israel.

Several rocket alarms were triggered in northern Israel and a drone from Lebanon entered Israeli territory and was shot down, according to the IDF.

The Israeli military responded with counter-attacks on the sites of the rocket launches and on "Hezbollah terror infrastructure" there, including a Hezbollah military compound and terrorist squads, the IDF said.

Lebanese security circles also reported Israeli fire on locations from which, according to Israeli reports, rockets were fired towards Israel. Hezbollah claimed responsibility for several attacks on Israel.

Since the beginning of the Gaza war following the Hamas massacre in Israel on October 7, there have been repeated confrontations between the IDF and Hezbollah in the Israeli-Lebanese border region, with deaths and injuries on both sides. It is the most serious escalation since the second Lebanon war in 2006.