Lebanon's powerful Hezbollah movement said had it fired "dozens" of rockets Friday at open areas in the disputed Shebaa Farms region in response to Israeli air strikes on southern Lebanon.  

"In response to the Israeli air raids ... the Islamic Resistance shelled open territory near positions of Israeli occupation forces in the Shebaa Farms," the group said in a statement. 

Israeli media earlier reported that some of the rockets had been intercepted by Israel's Iron Dome defense system. 

It is the third day that Hezbollah and Israel traded cross-border salvoes. Israel said it did not wish to escalate to a full war, though it was ready for one. 

"Our understanding is that Hezbollah deliberately aimed at open areas in order not to escalate the situation," Israeli military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Amnon Shefler told reporters. 

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said it has detected rocket launches from Lebanon and return artillery fire by Israel. "This is a very serious situation, and we urge all parties to ceasefire," the force said on Twitter. 

The flare-up, which has caused no casualties, followed an attack on an Israeli-managed oil tanker in the Gulf last week in which two crew members, a Briton and a Romanian, were killed. Israel, the United States and Britain blamed Iran for the attack, but Tehran denied any involvement. 

(With input from Reuters, AFP)