Israel's
military says around 250 rockets have been fired by Hezbollah across the border
from Lebanon, marking one of the heaviest bombardments of Israel since fighting
intensified in September.
Several
people were injured and buildings damaged in northern and central Israel, some
of them near Tel Aviv, Israel's police said.
The attacks
followed an Israeli air strike on central Beirut on Saturday, in
which the Lebanese health ministry said 29 people were killed.
Also on
Sunday, Israeli media widely reported that Israel and Lebanon were moving
towards a ceasefire agreement to end the fighting with the Iran-backed militia,
Hezbollah.
Following
reports of heavy fire from Lebanon, Israel's police said it had received
reports of rocket debris falling in the Tel Aviv area.
The Israel
Defense Forces (IDF) said a direct hit on one neighbourhood had left
"houses in flames and ruins".
Rockets fell
in Petah Tikva, near Tel Aviv, and in some northern areas: Haifa, Nahariya and
Kfar Blum, Israeli media reported.
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Hezbollah,
which has previously vowed to respond to attacks on Beirut by targeting Tel
Aviv, said it had launched precision missiles at two military sites in the city
and nearby.
Later, the
IDF said it had completed strikes on 12 Hezbollah command centres in Dahieh, a
stronghold for the group in Beirut's southern suburbs.
Lebanon's
health ministry on Sunday raised the death toll from 20 to 29 from a massive
Israeli strike launched without warning on central Beirut. It said a total of
84 people had been killed in the country Saturday.
The IDF has
not commented on Saturday's attack, but Israeli media reported at the time that
it was an attempt to kill Mohammed Haydar, a top Hezbollah official.
Israel’s
stated goal in its war against Hezbollah is to allow the return of about 60,000
residents who have been displaced from communities in northern Israel because
of the group’s attacks.
In Lebanon,
more than 3,670 people have been killed and at least 15,400 injured since
October 2023, according to Lebanese authorities, with more than one million
forced from their homes.
Over the past
fortnight, Israel has intensified its campaign against Hezbollah.
On Sunday the
Israeli public broadcaster Kan, citing Israeli and US officials, reported that
Israel had given the "green light" to advance a US-proposed ceasefire
deal with Lebanon, but indicated some gaps remained.