UN force in Lebanon urges restraint after attack

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BEIRUT, Jan 8 (Reuters) - The commander of U.N. peacekeepers in Lebanon called for "maximum restraint" following a rocket attack into Israel from south Lebanon, a spokesman for the peacekeeping force said.

The peacekeepers, known as UNIFIL, had taken immediate steps to identify the perpetrators and deployed additional troops, the spokesman said. The Lebanese army had also deployed extra troops, he said. Both the Lebanese and Israeli governments had underlined their commitment to a U.N. resolution that halted a 34-day war in 2006 between the Lebanese guerrilla group Hezbollah and Israel, the spokesman said.

Major General Claudio Graziano had called for "maximum restraint to avoid the escalation of the situation", the spokesman said, adding that there had been no claims of responsibility for the attack.

The rocket attack from south Lebanon was seen as linked to Israel's offensive in Gaza. (Reporting by Tom Perry; Editing by Louise Ireland)