JERUSALEM, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Israel's army fired on Sunday artillery shells towards Hezbollah posts in southern Lebanon after the Shiite group fired anti-tank missiles at northern Israel, the army said.

An Israeli military spokesperson said in a statement that in the early afternoon, "a number" of anti-tank missiles were launched from southern Lebanon at an Israeli military base and military vehicles in the Upper Galilee, next to the border between Israel and Lebanon.

"A number of hits were confirmed," said the spokesperson.

The missiles also sparked a large fire, live broadcast from the site showed.

There were no immediate reports of injuries, according to Israel's emergency medical service, but the military said it was still checking if any soldiers were wounded.

Hezbollah claimed responsibility for the attack.

Shortly later, Israeli tanks fired artillery shells towards Hezbollah posts near the Lebanese village of Maroun al-Ras, from which the missile was launched, according to the military.

Israeli residents in the north were instructed to stay indoors and open shelters and protected area.

The violence was a sharp escalation between Israel and Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed armed group and movement.

Israel and Hezbollah, which fought a bloody war in 2006, were on high alert over the past days in the wake of a series of Israeli airstrikes and in Syria and Lebanon.