Eleven killed in Lebanon village as Israel intensifies strikes

Here is the latest breaking news from around the world: Eleven killed in Lebanon village as Israel intensifies strikes15 minutes ago Share Save Add as preferred on GoogleSamantha GranvilleBekaa Valley, LebanonBBCFirst responders searched through the rubble of homes destroyed by the Israeli strikes in MashgharaIsrael has launched an intensive wave of strikes across swathes of southern and eastern Lebanon, after vowing to step up its military action against Hezbollah. The Israeli military said it hit more than 100 Hezbollah infrastructure sites and fighters during what was one of the heaviest nights of bombardment since a US-brokered ceasefire began in mid-April. Strikes in the Bekaa Valley village of Mashghara killed 11 people, including two children, Lebanon's health ministry said.

The military said it hit sites where "terrorist activity" was identified. It came after Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had given the instruction to "press the pedal even harder" in targeting Hezbollah. The ceasefire has been repeatedly violated by both sides, threatening to derail the complex ongoing talks to end the war between the US, Israel and Iran.

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Israeli air and artillery strikes have continued daily, especially in the south of Lebanon, while Hezbollah has been launching rockets and drones at communities in northern Israel and Israeli troops occupying parts of southern Lebanon. Netanyahu says Israel will intensify strikes against HezbollahHezbollah drone strike videos show evolving tactics against IsraelLebanon says 21 killed, including children, in Israeli air strikesOn Monday night, Netanyahu said in a video statement that Israel was going to increase the number and intensity of its strikes targeting Hezbollah in response to the Iran-backed Shia Muslim group's attacks, including those involving fibre-optic drones that can evade Israeli defences. "We will deal them a crushing blow," he vowed.

The announcement prompted scenes of panic in Beirut's southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold, where residents were seen fleeing the area following the remarks. Thousands of cars lined the streets with families trying to escape for safety. Though the overnight strikes spared the capital, Israeli warplanes carried out wave after wave of strikes across Lebanon throughout the evening and into the early hours.

The counted dozens of attacks across nearly 50 locations. A man and his wife were killed in a strike on their home in the southern town of Arab Salim on Monday evening, and two other people were killed in the village of Kauthariyet El Rez, according to Lebanon's state-run National News Agency (NNA). Overnight, several homes in Mashghara were destroyed in Israeli strikes, according to NNA.

Unverified video footage on social media appeared to show streets of destroyed and burning buildings, with fires raging. The Lebanese health ministry said the bodies of 11 people, among them one woman and two children, were pulled from the rubble. Another 15 people were injured, it added.

The story has become one of the most prominent items on the global agenda.