Israeli troops were demolishing Tuesday houses, schools and buildings in the southern border towns of Khiam, Bint Jbeil, Beit Leef, Shamaa, al-Bayyada and Naqoura, in an area in south Lebanon below what Israel called the "yellow Line".

The Israeli military also dropped thermal balloons overnight over border villages.

Lebanese official media said an Israeli strike hit a town in the country's south on Monday despite a 10-day ceasefire in force between Israel and Hezbollah.

The state-run National News Agency said that "an enemy drone targeted the vicinity of the Litani River in the town of Qaqaiyat al-Jisr," without immediately reporting casualties.

Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri confirmed Monday to the Asharq al-Awsat newspaper that "Washington is making an effort to extend the ceasefire in Lebanon."

The Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors to Washington will hold a second preparatory meeting Thursday at the U.S. State Department, a Lebanese official told Al-Jazeera.

The official said Lebanese Ambassador Nada Hamadeh Moawad will represent Lebanon at the meeting, which is "considered a continuation of Tuesday's meeting."

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said Monday that Lebanon needs a lasting solution to permanently end the state of war with Israel, rather than merely settling for a temporary ceasefire, calling direct negotiations a "necessity" Hezbollah "forced" upon Lebanon.

In an interview with Sky News Arabia, Geagea said a meeting between President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is "necessary" and should not be postponed. "President Aoun has to speak with the Israelis," he added. "Negotiations are not an option, but a necessity forced upon Lebanon by Hezbollah."

The Israeli army said Monday it attacked overnight "a fully equipped and ready-to-fire rocket launcher in the Qalawiya area of ​​southern Lebanon, north of the front line, in order to prevent an immediate threat to northern Israeli towns."

President Joseph Aoun met Monday with U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon,l Michel Issa and discussed with him the general situation in light of the recent developments, as well as his talks with U.S. President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the Presidency said.

President Joseph Aoun said Monday that planned talks with Israel aim to end "hostilities" and the Israeli occupation in the south, as he named ex-ambassador Simon Karam to lead a delegation.

"The choice to negotiate aims to stop hostilities, end the Israeli occupation of southern regions and deploy the (Lebanese) army all the way to the internationally recognized southern borders" with Israel, Aoun said in a statement.

U.S. President Donald Trump said overnight that "hopefully the situation with Hezbollah will get straightened out quickly."

President Joseph Aoun said on Friday that Lebanon is on the verge of a "new phase" of "permanent agreements," after the ceasefire in the Israel-Hezbollah war went into force.

"Now, we all stand before a new phase," Aoun said in his first speech to the nation since the truce, adding that "it is the phase of transition from working on a ceasefire to working on permanent agreements that preserve the rights of our people, the unity of our land, and the sovereignty of our nation."