Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said at least 11 people including two women and three children killed in an Israeli strike on Saturday were not military targets, after Israel said it struck Hezbollah "infrastructure".

"The women and children who were killed are not military targets," Salam said, adding that "Israel must halt this escalation", which he said was "extremely dangerous and undermines efforts to consolidate stability in the south".

Meanwhile, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said Israeli strikes on the country's south were a "clear message" on negotiations between the two countries, ahead of the next round of US-sponsored talks early next month in Rome.

Aoun condemned the "ongoing Israeli attacks" on the south and "repeated violations of the framework agreement... and international law on protecting civilians, which led to the death of an entire family in the village of Ansar", according to a statement from his office, adding that "these violations are a clear message on the negotiation process".

Hezbollah said that Israeli attacks on Lebanon would be met with an "appropriate" response after deadly strikes on the country's south on Saturday, urging authorities to halt "humiliating" negotiations with Israel.

Israel "must clearly understand that its attacks, violations and attempts to impose a fait accompli cannot continue, and will be met with an appropriate response", the Iran-allied group said in a statement, adding that Lebanese authorities "must not insist on continuing along the humiliating path of direct negotiations and providing the enemy with free concessions".

At least 4,300 people have been killed in ⁠Lebanon by Israel in the latest round of hostilities since March 2. (AFP/Reuters)




Edited by Azam Khan