Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed Tuesday that Israel assassinated the projected new Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hashem Safieddine, who was targeted in a massive airstrike in Beirut's southern suburbs on Thursday, claiming also that Israel has killed Safieddine’s replacement, without saying who this would be.

In an English-language video message to the Lebanese public, Netanyahu said that Israel has “degraded Hezbollah’s capabilities; we took out thousands of terrorists, including [longtime Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan] Nasrallah himself, and Nasrallah’s replacement, and the replacement of his replacement.”

The Israeli army said 30 soldiers have been wounded in the past twenty four hours on the Lebanese border as it launched targeted raids against Hezbollah, expanding its ground operations along the country's coastline after deploying more troops.

Hezbollah said it targeted troops in Labouneh near al-Naqoura, where U.N. peacekeepers are headquartered.

Hezbollah deputy chief Sheikh Naim Qassem on Tuesday said the group's military capabilities remained "fine" despite weeks of heavy Israeli airstrikes.

"You see that our daily accomplishments are great. Hundreds of rockets and dozens of aircraft (drones), a great number of (Israeli) settlements and cities have come under rocket fire... I would like to reassure you that our capabilities are fine," Qassem said in a televised address.

U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert and UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander Lt. Gen. Aroldo Lázaro have called for a “negotiated solution” to end the current conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.

The French-U.S. proposal for a ceasefire to end fighting in Lebanon remains on the table, with parties continuing to work on it, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said Monday during a visit to Israel.

He said Israel’s security cannot be guaranteed with military force alone and will require a diplomatic solution.

Marada Movement chief Suleiman Franjieh met Monday in Ain el-Tineh with Speaker Nabih Berri, noting that the latter still supports his presidential nomination.

An Israeli strike that targeted a local firefighting center in Baraachit overnight killed ten firefighters, bringing to 118 the number of rescuers killed in a year, with more than 50 killed by Israeli fire in just a week.

The health ministry said more people were buried under the rubble and the death toll may rise.

U.S. mediator Amos Hochstein has denied that Washington has given a “green light” to Israel regarding its ongoing attack on Lebanon.

The United States will provide nearly $157 million in new U.S. humanitarian assistance to support populations affected by conflict in Lebanon and the region, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.

"This funding will address new and existing needs of internally displaced persons and refugee populations inside Lebanon and the communities that host them. The assistance will also support those fleeing to neighboring Syria," Blinken said.

The UK is boosting its humanitarian support for Lebanon with a further £10 million to respond to the mass displacement of people, as well as the growing number of civilian casualties, the British embassy said.