Beirut, July 13 (DPA) Two Israeli planes Thursday fired at least five rockets into the runway of the Beirut International Airport as part of overnight attacks on targets in Lebanon in response to the abduction of two Israeli soldiers.

The planes attacking the airport were confronted by anti-aircraft machine guns belonging to the Lebanese army.

There were no immediate word on casualties, but black smoke blew over the area where the airport is located, which is on the outskirts of the capital and near Beirut's southern suburbs, a hotbed of the militant Hezbollah organisation.

The planes were still flying over Beirut, and Lebanese army troops closed roads leading to the capital.

An Israeli army spokesman said about 50 targets had been hit overnight in addition to 100 Wednesday, including bridges, roads, Hezbollah positions, outposts and arms warehouses.

The fresh air strikes came after Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's security cabinet, shortly before midnight, approved a massive aerial campaign against Lebanon, codenamed Appropriate Wage, which sought to strike "mostly at Hezbollah positions but also at some government infrastructure", Israeli media reported.

Israel has said it holds the Lebanese government responsible for the abduction Wednesday morning of the two soldiers by Hezbollah. Eight Israelis soldiers and two civilians have been killed since then.

The Israeli army said it had attacked a string of targets in southern Lebanon from the ground, sea and air in a bid to retrieve the two servicemen. The targets included five bridges as well as a string of Hezbollah positions and headquarters.

Among the targets hit were a bridge in the coastal town of Damour, about 15 km south of Beirut, and the Awali bridge, north of the main southern port city of Sidon, the Lebanese military and police said.

Wednesday's violence marked the deadliest day on the border since Israel ended its 22-year occupation of southern Lebanon six years ago.