Ban Urges 'Maximum Restraint,' Appreciates Cooperation with UNIFIL

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has urged all parties to exercise maximum restraint after rockets fired from southern Lebanon struck northern Israel, sparking an Israeli reprisal shelling.

Ban “appreciates the cooperation of both the Lebanese and Israeli authorities with UNIFIL's efforts to prevent further escalation of this incident, as well as their continued commitment to the cessation of hostilities along the Blue Line,” his spokesperson said in a statement on Sunday.

The U.N. chief urged “all actors to exercise maximum restraint and prevent further incidents with destabilizing and escalatory potential in the region.”

Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said the rocket fire caused no injuries or damage. Shortly after, the Lebanese border areas of Rashaya, Rashaya al-Fakhar, al-Mariyeh, Ibl al-Saqi, al-Wazzani, Kfarshouba Hills, Wata al-Khiyam, and Sarda were shelled.

UNIFIL commander Maj. Gen. Paolo Serra said he had been assured by the parties of their full cooperation with the peacekeeping mission and of “their continued commitment to the cessation of hostilities.”

"It is of paramount importance to identify and apprehend the perpetrators of this attack and we will spare no efforts to this end working in cooperation with the Lebanese Armed Forces," he said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu commended the military for responding "quickly and forcefully" to the rocket attack.

He accused the Lebanese government of "not lifting a finger" to stop the "war crimes" committed in its territory.

"Hizbullah deploys thousands of rockets and missiles among the civilian population,” he said.

Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon said Israel "would not tolerate" such attacks and held the government and the army responsible for any fire emerging from its territory.