Hezbollah shells Kiryat Shmona, Kfar Szold in response to Janata strike

Hezbollah attacked Friday Kiryat Shmona and Kfar Szold with dozens of rockets, in response to an overnight strike that killed 2 women and injured several civilians in south Lebanon.

Sirens sounded on Friday morning in northern Israel, and police said munitions had fallen in the Kiryat Shmona area, with no immediate sign of victims.

Hezbollah said in a statement it has targeted the two Israeli settlements with Katyusha and Falaq rockets, in response to the strike on Janata that killed and injured civilians. The group later targeted buildings used by Israeli soldiers in Metula in north Israel, also in retaliation to the Janata strike.

Hezbollah also targeted "in support of Gaza" Metula, three Israeli posts in the occupied Kfarshouba Heights, a group of soldiers in Khellet Wardeh and surveillance systems and equipment in Misgav Am and Jal al-Deir.

Israeli artillery meanwhile shelled al-Khiam, Kfarkila, and the outskirts of Deir Mimas and Aita al-Shaab, while the southern border towns of Mays al-Jabal, Houla and al-Odaisseh were shelled with White Phosphorus bombs.

Kfarkila and al-Odaisseh were also raided by Israeli warplanes.

Two women were killed and at least seven civilians including children were injured overnight in the Israeli strike on the southern town of Janata in the Tyre district.

In recent weeks, cross-border exchanges have escalated, with Hezbollah stepping up its use of drones to attack Israeli army positions and Israel hitting back with targeted strikes against the militants.

Hezbollah vowed to "increase the intensity, strength, quantity and quality" of its attacks, after an Israeli strike killed one of its senior commanders. Israel vowed to respond forcefully.

The cross-border violence has killed at least 468 people in Lebanon, most of them fighters but also including 89 civilians, according to an AFP tally.

Israeli authorities say at least 15 Israeli soldiers and 11 civilians have been killed.