BEIRUT - The Lebanese army on Friday dismantled two Katyusha rockets in the south of the country ready to be fired at Israel by remote control, Lebanese police said.

The rockets were found camouflaged on a hillside near the border area of Naqura, two days after similar rockets were launched at Israel from the same area, without causing casualties.

The Al-Qaeda network in Iraq on Thursday issued a statement claiming responsibility for rocket attacks on northern Israel, although the statement's authenticity could not be confirmed. It would be the first time Al-Qaeda claims to have staged an attack on Israel.

Israeli fighter jets on Friday continued to violate Lebanese airspace at low altitude, breaking the sound barrier over the northern port of Tyr, the Lebanese army said.

Despite UN calls for it to respect Lebanese sovereignty airspace, Israel has repeatedly conducted such overflights since its 2000 withdrawal of ground forces.

A UN resolution passed last year calls for the disarming of all militias in Lebanon, including Hezbollah, and for Lebanese forces to reassert control of the area.

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