The Lebanese Army said Friday it had dismantled a launcher loaded with rockets ready to be fired at Israel, hours after Israel shelled Lebanese territory in response to the biggest rocket salvo since 2006.

The dawn bombardment, also targeting the Gaza Strip, was in retaliation for several dozen rockets fired on Thursday at Israel from both Lebanon and the Palestinian territory.

Lebanon and Israel "said they do not want war," the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said Friday.

The U.N. peacekeepers -- deployed in southern Lebanon to buffer the two sides -- called on "all parties to cease all actions" on both sides of the border after the Israeli army launched strikes Friday at dawn following the firing of rockets into Israel from Lebanese territory.

Israel bombarded the Gaza Strip and Lebanon before dawn on Friday, saying it was targeting Palestinian militant group Hamas in retaliation for several dozen rockets fired at Israel from both territories.

It was the biggest salvo fired from Lebanon since Israel fought a devastating 34-day war with Hezbollah in 2006 and the first time Israel has confirmed an attack on Lebanese territory since April 2022.

At least three explosions were heard in southern Lebanon's Tyre region at dawn on Friday, as Israel announced it was carrying out strikes in response to rocket fire.

"At least two shells fell near" a Palestinian refugee camp near Tyre city, said camp resident Abu Ahmad, who told AFP he "heard explosions."

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati said Thursday Lebanon "refuses any escalation from its territory," condemning the barrage of rockets fired towards Israel from its soil.

Mikati said in a statement that Lebanon "rejects the use of its territory to carry out operations that destabilize the situation," after Israel threatened to retaliate against Palestinian groups it accused of the attack.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday vowed Israel's enemies would "pay a price" following a barrage of rockets from Lebanon that was blamed on Palestinian groups.

"We will strike our enemies and they will pay the price for any act of aggression," Netanyahu said during a cabinet meeting, according to a short video statement released by his office.

Israel blamed Palestinian groups on Thursday for a barrage of rockets fired from Lebanon, an Israeli army spokesperson said.

"We know for sure it's Palestinian fire," Lt. Colonel Richard Hecht told reporters.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned a barrage of rockets fired from Lebanon toward Israel, his spokesman said Thursday, calling on "all actors to exercise maximum restraint."

"We condemn the multiple rockets being fired from Lebanon into northern Israel today," Stephane Dujarric told reporters, asking all parties to "avoid any unilateral action that could further escalate the situation."

The United States said Thursday that its ally Israel had the right to defend itself after a barrage of rockets from Lebanon following soaring tensions over Jerusalem.

"We condemn the launch of rockets from Lebanon and Gaza at Israel," State Department spokesman Vedant Patel told reporters.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Thursday addressed questions to the Lebanese government after dozens of rockets were fired from south Lebanon at northern Israel.