No casualties were reported on either side of the border, a frequent flash point between Israel and Lebanese or Palestinian militant groups. It was the first such exchange of fire since February.
Israeli police said the two rockets landed in northern Galilee, one just outside the town of Nahariya. The Israeli military said it fired back at the source of the rockets in Qulailah
The Lebanese Army and UNIFIL found the base used to fire the rockets in a grove in Qulaileh.
The Lebanese Army Command made the following announcement following the exchange of fire : “An unknown party fired from Qulailah 2 Grad 122mm rockets towards Israel and the Israeli enemy fired back 12 shells 155m each . No casualties were reported and material damages are being assessed”
No one took responsibility for the attack but according to weapons experts the Grad 122mm rockets are made in Iran and are shipped through Syria to Hezbollah and Palestinian militant groups that are loyal to the Syrian regime
The US condemned Friday’s rocket attack: "We strongly condemn these attacks, which were in clear violation of the cessation of hostilities called for in UN Resolution 1701," said Assistant US Secretary of State PJ Crowley.
The United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki - Moon also condemned the rocket attack on Israel from Lebanon.
President Suleiman followed up yesterday the latest developments in the South and confirmed Lebanon's commitment to 1701 UN resolution.
The attack took place a day after PM Designate Saad Hariri quit the task of government formation . He blamed his resignation on the unreasonable demands by the Hezbollah-led opposition
Many March 14 leaders are wondering if Syria's allies fired the rockets to put pressure on the Lebanese parliament majority just as they did on May 7 2008 when they occupied west Beirut and tried to occupy the Druze strongholds of Mount Lebanon.
Saturday
10:27 pm Aoun told Al Jazeera TV: I insist on holding onto the ministry of Communication and Gebran Bassil . The issue has become the subject of a challenge against us and my allies are also insisting on Bassil and won’t participate in the cabinet without me
8:30 PM Saad Hariri at Qoraitem's Iftar: I did not ask anybody to re-designate me as PM . “Those who do not want to nominate me as Prime Minister-designate are free to choose whoever they find suitable.”
8;23pm MP Butros Harb questioned the timing of firing the rockets vs the Cabinet lineup obstruction.
8:18pm: Jumblat told Press TV: “Lebanon’s unity is in danger, and we have to form the national unity cabinet as soon as possible to protect it against any possible Israeli aggression.”He added : " Saad Hariri is still for the 5-10-15 formula ". He called on all parties to “give concessions because forming a national unity cabinet is in everybody’s interest .” He also said : “I don’t mind Iran arming Lebanon since the Americans do not want to provide the Lebanese military with weapons because they fear Israel’s reaction to such a move.”
8:05pm LBC : Jumblatt met President Suleiman privately away from the media, MP Wael Faour said
7: 40pm al Manar TV: MP Jumblatt would ask for a meeting with Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah who will also meet MP Hariri to discuss Cabinet formation.
7:33pm In response to MP Habib's statement, the Internal Security directorate referred the Lebanese Forces' demand regarding the "exceptional security measures "to the Central Security Council.
6:50 pm AFP: UNIFIL spokesperson Milos Strugar said on Saturday that extremists tied to Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon may have been behind the latest rocket attack from the Qulailah village in South Lebanon into Israel on Friday that triggered retaliatory artillery fire.
6:15pm Loyalty to Resistance bloc’s MP Raad criticized “the superiority spirit” that discriminates between “majority and minority” as it rules out the National Unity Cabinet.
5:00pm MP Habib demanded Interior minister to maintain the application of security measures on Lebanese Forces' MPs.
5:00pmAP : Gertrude Baines, who lived to be the world's oldest person on a steady diet of crispy bacon, fried chicken and ice cream, died Friday at a nursing home. She was 115.
4:50 pm Afghan's Independent Election Commission says it plans to announce complete results from the August 20 presidential election Saturday.
4:45 pm AFP: Iran's Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki on Saturday renewed Tehran's readiness for negotiations over its nuclear proposals but made no direct response to calls from the major powers for urgent talks.
4:40 pm Berri’s bloc will nominate a PM-designate committed to the formation of a national-unity cabinet. This changes the position preciously stated by Berri that he will only nominate Saad Hariri
3:30pm MP Safadi: The majority will rename Saad Hariri as Cabinet PM.
3:30pm Israelis soldiers start a fire in the settlement of Mutilah on the Lebanese border that spreads till Marjeyoun and burnt stocks of wheat and hay.
3:27pm President Suleiman expressed his satisfaction over the openness and ongoing communications among the political parties to reach Cabinet line-up.
3:02pm MP Saad Hariri discussed the latest political developments with MP Boutros Harb.
3;00 pm The sporadic flare ups between Israel and Lebanon on Friday have aroused international reactions. Russia on Saturday voiced "particular concern" and warned against any actions that could raise tensions in the Middle East.
2:55 pm VOA: News South Korea says it would not oppose the United States holding direct talks with North Korea to persuade Pyongyang to rejoin stalled nuclear disarmament talks.
2:50 pm BBC: The US says it is willing to accept an offer from Iran for talks on a wide range of issues. Tehran offered "comprehensive and constructive negotiations" on Wednesday, but did not mention the key issue of its nuclear program
2:45pm Caretaker Fouad Siniora received a call from Secretary General of the Arab League Amr Moussa: They discussed the current situation in Lebanon and the region.
1:53pm UNIFIL spokesperson Bouziane: Lebanese-Israeli border "calm" after rocket attacks
12:30 Six civilians were killed as a roadside bomb struck their car in Taliban former stronghold Kandahar of southern Afghanistan, a press release issued by provincial administration Saturday said.
12:19 Fatfat: Is it right that family relations become more important than the parliamentary elections and the formation of the government. ( In reference to Aoun's insistence that Gebran Bassil should be allocated a portfolio in the cabinet even though he failed in the last election )
1:40pm Judge Fawzi Adham charged detainees Salah Ezzeddine and Youssef Faour with money fraud.
11:35 Phalange Party Leader Amin Gemayel on the occasion of Butros Khawand's kidnapping: Relations with Syria can only be straightened if the 'Detainees’ File' is closed.
10:56 March 14 coordinator Fares Soueid: No repetition of May 7, no ‘Doha II Summit’
10:40 Mario Aoun: Only alternative to 15-10-5 formula is to not form a cabinet at all
9:35am MP Nidal Tohme to Free Lebanon Radio: The 15-10-5 formula must be discarded
09:01 South Lebanon residents receive threatening phone calls from Israel
8:35am Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah will address the Cabinet crisis during Laylat el-Qadr speech at 10:00pm Saturday.
07:33 US envoy George Mitchell will be in Lebanon next Wednesday and will hold a meeting with President Suleiman
Friday
10:20 pm
The number of Americans without health insurance reached 46.3 million in 2008, up from 45.7 million a year earlier, according to figures released Thursday by the US Census Bureau.
10:10 pm VOA : The European Union wants an urgent meeting with Iran to talk about Tehran's controversial nuclear program. EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said Friday EU officials had contacted Iran's chief nuclear negotiator regarding the country's nuclear program.
9:55pm The US condemned Friday’s rocket attack on Israel from southern Lebanon. "We strongly condemn these attacks, which were in clear violation of the cessation of hostilities called for in UN Resolution 1701," said Assistant US Secretary of State PJ Crowley.
8:42pm Saad Hariri at al- Makased's Iftar: Cabinet formation as the minority sees it, means to comply with its conditions and I refuse to see it from that angle.
8:20pm Jumblatt on Berri's wave length supports a National unity Cabinet based on the 5-10-15 formula.
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08:20 pm The Army Command : An unknown party fired from Qulailah 2 Grad 122mm rockets towards Israel and the Israeli enemy fired back 12 shells 155m each . No casualties were reported and material damages are being assessed
