Lebanon on Thursday declared a national day of mourning, a day after Israel pounded cities and villages across the country, killing at least 203 people and wounding more than 1,000 others.
The Israeli military confirmed that Wednesday was its largest coordinated assault on Lebanon since the start of its latest military offensive on the country that began on 2 March.
Hospitals have called for blood donations after hundreds of Israeli air strikes spread terror throughout Beirut, flattening buildings and killing whole families.
Authorities have lowered flags and closed all public institutions across Lebanon to mark what has been dubbed 'Black Wednesday' following the most bloody day for the country in months.
The Israeli military said that an overnight strike killed Ali Yusuf Harshi, the personal secretary and nephew of Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem.
Israeli media also reported that its military is encircling the town of Bint Jbeil in southern Lebanon. An unnamed security official told Israeli media that an understanding has been reached among political levels in Washington and Tel Aviv that the ceasefire should separate Iran and Lebanon. Hezbollah 'right' to respond The massacre in Lebanon comes amid confusion surrounding the terms of the ceasefire agreement between the US, Iran, and Israel on Wednesday to move toward an end to the war that began on 28 February.
US President Donald Trump has since asserted that Lebanon was "separate" and not a part of the ceasefire, but appeared to indicate that it would be included in the truce.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has raised what he called "ceasefire violations" to Pakistani mediators.
A well-informed source also warned that Tehran was prepared to withdraw from the ceasefire and retaliate over Israel’s brutal attacks in Lebanon, according to the official Iranian Tasnim news agency.
Hezbollah insists it has a "right" to retaliate against the Israeli assault, while the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) also threatened to respond if the massacres in Lebanon continue.
Qatar’s foreign ministry has described the Israeli onslaught as a "dangerous escalation and a flagrant violation" of Lebanon's sovereignty and called on the international community to pressure Israel to halt its attacks.
The UK, France, Italy, Spain, Turkey, and Egypt also condemned the assault, which threatens to upturn a delicate truce between Iran, the US, and Israel.
France’s President Emmanuel Macron - who held calls with his Lebanese counterpart, Joseph Aoun, and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam - described the attacks on Lebanon as a "direct threat to the sustainability of the ceasefire that has just been reached".
"Lebanon must be fully covered by it," he added, a day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed that the ceasefire between the US and Iran does not include Lebanon, despite Pakistan and Iranian officials insisting it does.
A US official claimed on Wednesday that the truce terms published by Iran are not the same as those it had signed up to.
Various media reports said there was a lack of clarity within the US administration about what Trump had agreed with Tehran, as well as conflicting claims about Lebanon’s inclusion in the truce agreement.
In a televised statement by Prime Minister Netanyahu following criticism over his handling of the Iran war and truce, the Israeli leader said he had not yet finalised his war aims.
"Let me be clear: We still have objectives to complete, and we will achieve them, either through agreement or through renewed fighting," he said.
His indication that the Israeli war on Lebanon will continue has raised serious concerns that the ceasefire with Iran could collapse imminently. New forced evacuation orders The latest developments come as Israel issued fresh evacuation orders on Thursday afternoon for the southern suburbs of Beirut, including al-Janah, Haret Hreik, Ghobeiry, al-Lilaki, Hadath, Borje al-Barajneh, Shiyyah, and Tahwitat al-Ghadir.
Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee echoed the statement, calling on residents to "evacuate immediately".
Residents, activists, and human rights campaigners say that the army has not been giving people enough time to flee before striking the area.
Meanwhile, Israel said it plans further strikes against what it alleged was Hezbollah "military infrastructure".