In brief
Although peace talks between Israel and Lebanon aimed at easing tensions took place in Washington, fighting has escalated. Israeli airstrikes have targeted Hezbollah positions, and retaliatory rocket attacks from Hezbollah have been reported. The humanitarian crisis in Lebanon deepens as casualties climb, and divisions within Lebanon manifest over the negotiations with Israel.
Fighting between Israeli forces and the Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah has continued after Israel and Lebanon held direct talks in Washington aimed at easing the conflict.
On Wednesday, Israeli strikes hit two vehicles on the coastal highway south of Beirut, near the towns of Saadiyat and Jiyeh and outside Hezbollah's traditional strongholds.
Videos from one scene showed a burned-out van, with first responders working to extinguish flames and recover human remains. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military.
In northern Israel, a man was wounded in the town of Tamra after Hezbollah launched about 30 rockets across the border, according to medics and the military.
Hezbollah said it had launched rockets at 10 locations in northern Israel.
The Israeli military also mentioned ongoing ground operations in southern Lebanon, targeting over 200 Hezbollah infrastructure sites in the past 24 hours.
Calls were renewed for residents in southern Lebanon to evacuate amidst air and artillery bombardment.
Although Israel has refrained from striking Beirut directly since a wave of attacks killed over 350 people a week prior, strikes continue in southern and eastern areas.
Israel's plans to create a security buffer zone inside Lebanese territory extend to eight to ten kilometers, justified by the need to protect Israeli communities from Hezbollah attacks.
In the early hours of Wednesday, clashes were reported across several Lebanese border towns and villages with heavy gunfire and explosions heard throughout the night.
The fighting persists despite a ceasefire brokered between the US and Iran, which Israel asserts does not pertain to its operations in Lebanon.
A recent meeting in Washington marked the first direct, high-level contact between Lebanese and Israeli representatives in three decades, described by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio as a pivotal moment.
Despite renewed diplomatic efforts, deep divisions within Lebanon were exposed, with Hezbollah rejecting the negotiations entirely.
Lebanese authorities report that Israeli attacks since March 2 have resulted in at least 2,124 deaths, including women and children, amid a growing humanitarian crisis.
