Israel's military said on Monday that "limited, defined and targeted" attacks are being carried out in southern Lebanon, including against "an arms depot".
The state-controlled Lebanese news agency NNA reported in turn that houses were blown up in the areas around the town of Aita al-Shaab, and that areas in Haboush and Arabsalim further north in Lebanon were attacked by the Israeli military.
Israel's military confirmed late on Monday that 300 targets had been attacked during a 24-hour period. According to the military, the targeted goals had connections to the Hezbollah movement.
Banks targeted
During the night to Monday, financial institutions believed to have close ties to the Iran-backed Shia militia Hezbollah were also attacked. Among the targets were branches of the bank al-Qard al-Hassan, which according to Israel had stored hundreds of millions of dollars in its premises.
According to the company, which has over 30 branches in Lebanon, it managed to evacuate its premises and move gold and other assets to safety.
An office that was bombed was located in a nine-story building that was leveled to the ground.
Israel said in turn that 30 locations with connections to the banking business had been attacked.
American mediation
USA's envoy to the Middle East, Amos Hochstein, arrived in Beirut for meetings with, among others, Nabih Berri, who is the speaker of parliament. Berri is close to the Hezbollah movement.
Hochstein's message is that the fighting must stop "as soon as possible". He referred to a resolution adopted by the UN Security Council in 2006, which ended the war then, and which could serve as a basis for new negotiations.
Tying Lebanon's future to other conflicts in the region was not, and is not, in the interest of the Lebanese people, Hochstein said in connection with his meetings. Thus, he rejected Hezbollah's demand that the conflict in Lebanon be linked to the war in Gaza between Israel and the terrorist-stamped Hamas.
Hochstein noted at the same time that the parties to the conflict in Lebanon must be willing to fulfill the requirements of a settlement.
The current resolution 1701 ended the war in 2006, but we must be honest and acknowledge that no one did anything to implement the resolution, Hochstein told reporters in Beirut.
USA's envoy also met with Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati.
