The violence is the worst since the sealing of a US-Iran deal to halt the wider Middle East war, which was also supposed to pause fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Lebanon’s official National News Agency (NNA) also reported a fresh Israeli strike on the area of Jezzine in the south, soon after a US official said on Friday that Israel and Hezbollah had agreed on a ceasefire.

An NNA journalist had also reported drones flying over the Tyre area, while an AFP correspondent heard continuous artillery shelling in the southern town of Nabatieh.

The US official told AFP on condition of anonymity that the truce was brokered by US and Qatari mediators, following talks with Israel and Iran.

A Gulf diplomat later confirmed the ceasefire was brokered by Qatar, the US and Iran.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office did not respond to an AFP request to confirm the ceasefire.

Israeli military spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin said: “Everything related to agreements belongs to the political echelon… We will continue to operate according to the directives”.

An earlier truce meant to have taken effect in April did little to stop attacks from either side.

‘Dangerous escalation’

Lebanon’s health ministry said Israeli airstrikes and bombardments killed at least 47 people — including seven women and two children — and wounded 97 others in Lebanon on Friday.

Video from AFPTV showed hundreds of cars packing roads in the city of Sidon as people attempted to flee southern areas.

Israel’s military reported “more than 150 IDF (military) strikes in Lebanon since midnight”.

It said earlier it had “struck more than 80 command centres, terrorists, launch positions and additional terrorist infrastructure sites in the area of Nabatieh and additional areas in southern Lebanon”.

“Dozens of Hezbollah terrorists operating in the command centres were eliminated.”

Iran-backed Hezbollah, meanwhile, said it was attacking Israeli forces around Nabatieh.

Israeli strikes also targeted the Baalbek region in the east of Lebanon, which had been largely spared since the start of the conflict in March.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said Israel’s latest attacks “constitute a dangerous escalation”.

Earlier, the Israeli military said Lieutenant Colonel Dor Gedalia Ben Simhon had “fallen in combat” along with three other soldiers.

Israeli military correspondents reported the four were killed when a tank was hit by “a suspected drone or anti-tank missile”.

The military also reported that a reserve officer was severely wounded by a drone attack, with four other soldiers lightly injured.

‘Mothers must weep’

The deaths of the soldiers drew a furious reaction in Israel.

Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said “Lebanon must burn… For every tear shed by an Israeli mother, 1,000 Lebanese mothers must weep”.

In response, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused Israel of wanting “permanent war”.

US officials including President Donald Trump have expressed frustration at Israel’s campaign in Lebanon.

But Netanyahu said on Friday that Israeli troops will stay in south Lebanon “as long as necessary”.

Hassan Tarhini, 57, forced to flee the Nabatieh area, told AFP that “we have no problem being displaced once, twice or even 10 times, so long as we return with our heads held high”.

Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the Middle East war in early March by attacking Israel to avenge the killing of Iran’s supreme leader in US-Israeli strikes.

Israel responded with a massive campaign of airstrikes and a ground invasion.