BEIRUT/JERUSALEM: Lebanese armed group Hezbollah said it fired rockets and drones into northern Israel on Tuesday, accusing the Israeli military of violating a ceasefire ahead of US-mediated talks between the Israeli and Lebanese governments this week.

The Israeli military earlier said Iran-aligned Hezbollah had fired several rockets toward its troops operating in southern Lebanon, in what it described as a “blatant violation” of the ceasefire agreement. It was not immediately clear if the incidents were the same.

A 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah mediated by Washington came into effect last Thursday, but Israeli forces remain deployed in a belt of Lebanese land 5 to 10 km (3 to 6 miles) deep along the entire border.

Israel has said it aims to create a buffer zone to shield northern Israel from attacks by Hezbollah, a Shiite Muslim group.

Hezbollah, in its statement on Tuesday, accused Israel of attacking civilians and destroying homes in breach of the truce. It said it fired at a position ‌in northern Israel that ‌had been striking southern Lebanon.

The Israeli military said it struck the launcher from which the rockets were ‌fired, ⁠and that sirens ⁠in northern Israel were likely sounded after the interception of a drone launched from Lebanon.

The Israeli military did not respond to a question on whether Hezbollah’s announced attack was the same as the one the Israeli military had announced earlier.