Looking for His glorious appearing! Titus 2:13

Israeli resident Ephraim Gold, who heard the sound of up to six explosions in the city of Nahariya - some 6 miles (9.6km) from the border with Lebanon - told the BBC News website that the rockets had sparked panic.

"People were screaming, running away," he said. "It's been quiet here for so long, this was completely unexpected.

"The sirens went off. Everybody is in bunkers. The children had to leave their schools."

He said Israeli troops were in the area to investigate the source of the attacks.

Both UN peacekeepers in Lebanon, who have a remit to monitor the Israeli border, and the Lebanese army deployed extra troops following the rocket launches, a UN spokeswoman said.

Unifil (the UN Interim Force in Lebanon) said: "Unifil is in contact with both sides, urging them to exercise maximum restraint, uphold the cessations of hostilities and avoid taking steps which would lead to further escalation."

Unifil was set up in 1978 after Israel invaded Lebanon, and was expanded after Israel's 2006 war with Hezbollah.

The 2006 war was triggered by a Hezbollah raid into Israel, in which the group seized two soldiers and killed others.

On the Lebanese side more than 1,000 people died, mostly civilians. About 160 Israelis - most of them soldiers - died in the fighting and rocket fire.

The border has been tense, but largely quiet. There have been occasional clashes and rocket fire. The Associated Press says this is the fourth such attack in 2009.

Palestinian militant groups operating in Lebanon are often blamed.