Israeli troops fire at 3 UNIFIL positions

Israeli troops opened fire at three positions held by UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon yesterday, said a UN source, adding that one of the locations fired at was UNIFIL's main base at Naqoura.

The UNIFIL force said two of its peacekeepers were injured in one of the incidents. There were no casualties in the other two incidents.

Another Israeli strike killed five emergency workers in southern Lebanon, the health ministry said, as Israel pressed its major offensive against the Iran-backed Hezbollah and warned Lebanese civilians in the south not to return home.

Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister, Najib Mikati, said contacts were under way between the United States and France with the aim of reviving a ceasefire, an apparent reference to diplomatic efforts to clinch a truce which Israel rejected last month. There was no immediate comment from Washington or Paris.

US President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke later on Wednesday about potential Israeli retaliation against Iran, in a call both sides described as positive.

Israel warns Lebanese people in south not to return home

The Lebanese health ministry said the Israeli strike overnight hit a civil defence centre in the village of Derdghaiya, some 10 km from the border, killing five paramedics and rescue workers. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military.

Israeli strikes have killed more than 2,100 people in Lebanon over the last year, the vast majority of them since September 23, when Israel dramatically scaled up its assault with widespread airstrikes before later sending soldiers in on the ground.

Israel reported the death of a 12th soldier in ground operations in south Lebanon yesterday.

Hezbollah has sustained its rocket attacks on Israel, and the Israeli military said around 40 projectiles were identified crossing from Lebanon into Israel, some of which were intercepted, and several fell in the area of the upper Galilee.