The violence comes one day after Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah released a new statement threatening to strike Tel Aviv if Israel attacked central Beirut. But for the first time since the start of the Israeli invasion, Nasrallah also made a direct offer of a ceasefire.

• Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah: “If you attack our cities, our villages, our civilians, our capital, we will react. (If) at any time you decide to stop your campaigns on our cities, villages, civilians and infrastructure, we will not strike with rockets any settlement or Israeli city.”

Israel immediately rejected Nasrallah’s comments. A defense official told Israel’s Channel One the Israel Defense Forces would destroy Lebanon’s infrastructure in the event of a strike on Tel Aviv.