The Israeli army struck and bombed overnight into Tuesday several towns and villages in south Lebanon after it issued an evacuation warning for more than 40 southern Lebanese towns.

Strikes and shelling hit Jennata, Jmayjmeh, Hanaway, Majdalzoun, Wadi al-Hujair, Zebdine, Deir al-Zahrani, Maarakeh, Tebnine, al-Hosh, Kfardounin, Betoulay, Sreereh, al-Qatrani, Henniyyeh, al-Qlayleh, Tayr Debba, Sultanieh, Ain Baal, Mayfadoun, Barish, Wadi Sinai, Safad al-Battikh, Shaqra, Burj Qalaway, Tebnine, Baraashit and Haddatha. At least five people were killed in the strikes.

According to Lebanon’s General Security chief, Hassan Choucair, contacts are ongoing by Washington and Cairo to protect and reopen the Masnaa border crossing.

It’s been closed since Saturday after Israel warned it could be targeted over alleged weapons smuggling by Hezbollah. Officials in Lebanon and Syria deny that claim, saying vehicles are thoroughly inspected.

Iran showed no sign of backing down Tuesday as a U.S. deadline loomed for it to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, defying threats by President Donald Trump to "decimate" the country's civilian infrastructure.

The Iranian army dismissed what they called Trump's "arrogant rhetoric and baseless threats", saying they would not hinder operations against U.S. and Israeli forces more than five weeks into the war.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced on Monday that Israel had conducted a "powerful strike" on Iran's largest petrochemical complex, with the operator saying it was assessing the damage from the attacks.

The complex in the Pars region services Iran's South Pars natural gas field -- the largest known gas reserve in the world -- which it shares with Qatar, and which Israel had previously hit last month.

U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday the United States has studied a proposal for a 45-day ceasefire in the Iran war, a move he called a "very significant step" in the conflict.

"It's a significant proposal, it's a significant step. It's not good enough, but it's a very significant step," Trump told reporters at the White House, adding that intermediaries "are negotiating now."

Iran has rejected a proposed truce in its war with the United States and Israel, state media reported Monday, despite a stark threat by U.S. President Donald Trump to destroy its vital infrastructure.

The Israeli army confirmed Monday that it attacked a day earlier a "terrorist target" in the Northern Metn town of Ain Saadeh east of Beirut, adding that reports of civilian casualties and "all details of the incident" are being reviewed.

An Israeli strike hit Beirut's southern suburbs on Monday as Israel's army said it was targeting Hezbollah, with the raid sending a large plume of smoke billowing across the skyline.

Israeli strikes in Lebanon on Sunday killed at least 15 people, a day after Israel threatened to hit Lebanon's main border crossing with Syria, forcing it to close.

Lebanese Christians marked Easter Sunday by turning their prayers to the south, where villages remain trapped by fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.