Lebanese cabinet announced that it refuses to give Israel a "pretext" to launch an offensive against Lebanon, al-Nahar daily reported Friday.

"Lebanon denounces and condemns launching rockets and retaliation acts, since this would be a violation of UN resolution 1701," Information Minister Tareq Mitri said after an emergency session Thursday night in Baabda palace.

Mitri added that the cabinet rejected turning south Lebanon into an area for launching rockets, and that the Lebanese army has started "serious investigation" into the incident.

"The Lebanese president and the cabinet stress Lebanon's commitment to UN resolution 1701," he added.

UN resolution 1701 ended the devastating war between Hezbollah and Israel in 2006, calling for the cease of all hostile actions between the two sides.

On Thursday, at least three Katyusha rockets were fired from south Lebanon into Israel, prompting Israel to fire immediately retaliatory shells on the western sector of south Lebanon.

(Xinhua News Agency January 9, 2009)