Beirut, Aug 7 (IANS) Israel fired 40 artillery shells into Lebanon after the latter country fired rockets into the Jewish state amid rising tension in the region, the army in Beirut said.

In a statement on Friday, the army said 10 artillery shells fell on the outskirts of the town of al-Sadana and 30 in Bastra and Kfarshouba, causing a number of fires in the area, reports Xinhua news agency.

The army was deployed on the ground trying to restore calm in the region in coordination with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon, said the statement.

--IANS ksk/