Israel's army said that it responded with artillery fire to a "projectile launched from Lebanon", which crashed into an open field near a kibbutz.

There were no reports of casualties or damage, and the attack was not claimed by any group.

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon said that, after detecting a "rocket being launched from south Lebanon towards Israel", its commander made contact with both sides "to urge restraint".

"Nonetheless, the Israel Defense Forces fired back several dozen shells into Lebanon," UNIFIL said in a statement, adding that it had begun "an investigation to determine the facts".

Lebanon's National News Agency said the rocket fire was carried out by unidentified groups and that Lebanese forces had deployed to the area, with calm restored before sunrise.

Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz called on Lebanon's government "to take responsibility for what happens on its territory".

"If terrorism and violence continue, we know how to use the necessary force against the right targets."

Lebanon and Israel are technically in a state of war.

The Jewish state and Lebanon's Shiite Muslim militant group Hezbollah exchanged fire across the heavily guarded border last summer.

The two sides fought a devastating war in 2006 after Hezbollah captured two Israeli soldiers.

The 34-day conflict killed 1,200 people in Lebanon, mostly civilians, and 160 Israelis, mostly soldiers.

It ended with a UN-backed ceasefire that saw the Lebanese army deploy in border areas.