Fire exchange in northern Israel along Lebanese border

An exchange of fire took place on the Israeli-Lebanese border Monday, the Israeli army said.

An Improvised Explosive Device (IED) detonated close to Israeli army vehicles in Mount Dov in northern Israel beside the country's borders with Lebanon and Syria, the Israeli army said in a statement. No injuries were reported though.

Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson stated that they responded with artillery fire targeting Lebanon.

Lebanese media outlets reported that the IDF's attack struck military posts in Lebanon, causing a number of injuries. No other details were reported as of press time.

Israeli citizens were instructed by local authorities to remain inside their homes, reported the daily Ha'aretz.

Lebanese media outlets also reported that Hezbollah are the responsible party behind the IED attack against the Israeli army.

The last major confrontation between Israel and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah group was in 2006.

Hezbollah leader, Hassan Nasrallah, declared that his organization would avenge the recent assassination of Samir Quntar, a prominent member of Hezbollah, by attacking Israel, particularly its army.

Quntar served 30 years in an Israeli prison for the murder of four Israelis in 1979, and was released in 2008.

"Avenging Samir's assassination will unquestionably come," Nasrallah vowed in a televised speech Sunday, adding that the date and location of the retaliation operation will be decided by Hezbollah fighters and military commanders.

In response to Nasrallah's statement, both the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and military chief, Gadi Eisenkot, said that Israel would dish out a "harsh response" to those planning to attack Israel.

Israeli officials did not officially claim responsibility for the assassination, which is, on the other hand, widely attributed to the country by international media outlets and analysts, but legislators expressed satisfaction at Quntar's death.

Several hours following the alleged assassination of Quntar and for the first time in a year, three rockets were fired from Lebanon into northwest Israel, with no reported injuries or damages.

The Israeli army then retaliated with artillery fire and air strikes. In the past several years, many airstrikes targeting Syria were attributed to Israel.

However, Israel did not publicly claim responsibility for them, ostensibly in order to prevent weapons transfer or to thwart future attacks against Israel.

Israel's policy recently was to stay out of the Syrian civil war, however officials hinted that Israel would know how to secure its defense interests. Endit