Israel Lebanon

Israel said Tuesday it has reached a US-brokered agreement with Lebanon to settle their long-disputed maritime border, hailing a "historic achievement" that potentially unlocks significant offshore gas production for both countries.

Israel does not want war with Lebanon's Hezbollah but is prepared to face about 2,000 rockets a day from the armed group if conflict breaks out, a senior Israeli military official told AFP.

The head of Lebanon's powerful Hezbollah movement, Hassan Nasrallah, Saturday vowed a "suitable and proportionate" response to any Israeli air strikes on Lebanon after a flare-up at the border this week.

Israeli warplanes struck Lebanon for a second straight day Friday after more than 10 rockets were fired across the border amid rising tensions with Iran, the military said.

Two rockets launched from Lebanon on Wednesday struck Israel, which responded with artillery fire amid heightened regional tensions over an alleged Iranian attack on an oil tanker in the Gulf last week.

The Israeli army said it launched artillery towards Lebanon on Monday in response to rocket fire from the neighbouring country that failed to hit the Jewish state.

The United States voiced concern Sunday after Israel and Hezbollah exchanged fire along the Lebanese border, slamming the "destabilizing role" of Iranian proxies in the Middle East.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that Israel was prepared for any scenario after a cross-border clash with Lebanon's Hezbollah, but neither side seemed eager for another conflict.

Lebanon's prime minister on Sunday urged the United States and France to "intervene" after the Hezbollah movement traded cross-border fire with Israel.

Israel said it was returning fire Sunday after anti-tank missiles were launched at its territory from Lebanon, raising fears of a serious escalation with Hezbollah after a week of rising tensions.

Hezbollah said on Saturday its field commanders were ready to respond to an attack a week ago that the Lebanese group blamed on Israeli drones, after Israel's military ordered extra forces to deploy near the border.

The head of Hezbollah on Sunday threatened Israel after a "drone attack" on the Lebanese Shiite movement's Beirut stronghold, vowing to "do everything" to thwart future attacks.

For decades, Israel's National Center for Forensic Medicine has tested skeletal remains secreted across its northern border, checking whether the DNA matched that of Israeli soldiers missing in action behind enemy lines in Lebanon or Syria.

Israel announced Wednesday that the remains of a soldier missing since the 1982 Lebanon war had been returned to the country, bringing to a close a highly sensitive case for Israelis.

The US State Department on Tuesday designated Jawad Nasrallah, son of Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, a terrorist and accused him of carrying out attacks against Israel in the West Bank.

Israel said Tuesday it has reached a US-brokered agreement with Lebanon to settle their long-disputed maritime border, hailing a "historic achievement" that potentially unlocks significant offshore gas production for both countries.

Israel does not want war with Lebanon's Hezbollah but is prepared to face about 2,000 rockets a day from the armed group if conflict breaks out, a senior Israeli military official told AFP.

The head of Lebanon's powerful Hezbollah movement, Hassan Nasrallah, Saturday vowed a "suitable and proportionate" response to any Israeli air strikes on Lebanon after a flare-up at the border this week.

Israeli warplanes struck Lebanon for a second straight day Friday after more than 10 rockets were fired across the border amid rising tensions with Iran, the military said.

Two rockets launched from Lebanon on Wednesday struck Israel, which responded with artillery fire amid heightened regional tensions over an alleged Iranian attack on an oil tanker in the Gulf last week.

The Israeli army said it launched artillery towards Lebanon on Monday in response to rocket fire from the neighbouring country that failed to hit the Jewish state.

The United States voiced concern Sunday after Israel and Hezbollah exchanged fire along the Lebanese border, slamming the "destabilizing role" of Iranian proxies in the Middle East.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that Israel was prepared for any scenario after a cross-border clash with Lebanon's Hezbollah, but neither side seemed eager for another conflict.

Lebanon's prime minister on Sunday urged the United States and France to "intervene" after the Hezbollah movement traded cross-border fire with Israel.

Israel said it was returning fire Sunday after anti-tank missiles were launched at its territory from Lebanon, raising fears of a serious escalation with Hezbollah after a week of rising tensions.

Hezbollah said on Saturday its field commanders were ready to respond to an attack a week ago that the Lebanese group blamed on Israeli drones, after Israel's military ordered extra forces to deploy near the border.

The head of Hezbollah on Sunday threatened Israel after a "drone attack" on the Lebanese Shiite movement's Beirut stronghold, vowing to "do everything" to thwart future attacks.

For decades, Israel's National Center for Forensic Medicine has tested skeletal remains secreted across its northern border, checking whether the DNA matched that of Israeli soldiers missing in action behind enemy lines in Lebanon or Syria.

Israel announced Wednesday that the remains of a soldier missing since the 1982 Lebanon war had been returned to the country, bringing to a close a highly sensitive case for Israelis.

The US State Department on Tuesday designated Jawad Nasrallah, son of Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, a terrorist and accused him of carrying out attacks against Israel in the West Bank.