Beirut: Israel hammered south Lebanon with strikes on Tuesday ahead of talks between the two countries in Washington, as Beirut reported 380 people killed in Israeli attacks since an April 17 ceasefire took effect.
Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem vowed to turn the battlefield into "hell" for Israeli forces, and insisted his Iran-backed group's weapons would not be up for discussion at the talks on Thursday and Friday, after the US had called for its disarmament.
Israel has intensified its attacks on south Lebanon, where it continues to trade fire with Hezbollah despite the ceasefire. Under the truce terms released by Washington, Israel reserves the right to act against imminent threats.
Lebanon's health ministry said an Israeli strike on Tuesday targeted a civil defence team responding to an earlier raid in the southern city of Nabatieh, killing two rescuers and the wounded person they went to save.
The ministry decried Israel's "complete disregard for all international norms".
Hezbollah has also been carrying out attacks, including several on Tuesday, both against Israeli troops who have invaded south Lebanon and across the border, saying they are in response to Israeli ceasefire violations.
Lebanon's Health Minister Rakan Nassereddine told a press conference on Tuesday that since the ceasefire, "380 people have been killed and 1,122 wounded".
A ministry official told AFP that toll includes 39 women and 22 children.
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
