BEIRUT, July 31 (Reuters) - Hizbollah said its guerrillas hit an Israeli warship with rockets off the coast of the south Lebanese port city of Tyre on Monday, but an Israeli source quickly denied the claim. Hizbollah said in a statement the attack was the start of its retaliation for Sunday's bombing of a building in south Lebanon that killed 54 civilians, including 37 children.
In Jerusalem, an Israeli security source said no Israeli warships were struck by rockets off the coast of Lebanon.
"The Islamic resistance attacked with its blessed rockets an Israel warship ... with a crew of 53 officer and soldier off the shores of Tyre and achieved a direct hit," Hizbollah's statement, read on its television station, said.
"This is part of our revenge against our enemy."
Hizbollah followers fired rifles into the air in Beirut in celebration.
A spokesman for U.N. peacekeepers in south Lebanon said he could confirm that Hizbollah had fired rockets but gave no further details.
A Hizbollah rocket had hit an Israeli warship off Beirut on July 14, badly damaging it and killing four sailors.