Hostilities in Lebanon

The United Nations is deeply concerned by the escalation of hostilities in Lebanon,

as well as Israeli strikes Thursday in southern Beirut.

Israel's air force carried out an airstrike on a southern suburb of Lebanon's capital

further straining a fragile ceasefire a day before crucial negotiations in Washington.

An apartment in the southern Beirut neighbourhood of Choueifat

after Israel's military targeted it.

Israeli airstrikes also destroyed the surrounding area with

nearby cars also damaged.

Bulldozers already clearing up the rubble.

This resident of the targeted neighbourhood describes what happened.

"We were sitting while the children were playing football. Suddenly, we were

shocked by the whistle of a missile that struck this building. The shock was so

overwhelming it took us some time to fully realise what had happened."

Israeli military spokesman General Effie Defrin says,

"Our goal is clear, to protect the northern communities,

the push the threat away and to strike deeply and weaken Hezbollah over time."

He went on to say since the beginning of the ceasefire

"we have eliminated more than 700 terrorists in Lebanon.

They join the more than 2,500 terrorists that we have eliminated since the

beginning of Operation Roaring Lion."

The United Nations is condemning Israel's latest attack on Beirut

saying it is deeply concerned by the escalation of hostilities in Lebanon.

"Turning to Lebanon, I can tell you that we are, of course,

deeply concerned by the escalation of hostilities in that country.

We're also very concerned by Israeli strikes today in southern Beirut.

We note with concern the intensified Israeli airstrikes on alleged Hezbollah targets

across the UNIFIL (referring to the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon)

area of operations, as well as north of the Litani River,

including the Beqaa Valley and reports of IDF ground

incursions north of the Litani River," he says.

Meanwhile residents in Gaza City's Shati refugee camp gathered to inspect

a damaged building following an Israeli airstrike Thursday night.

No injuries were reported after the Israeli military issued an early warning

before the strike.

Earlier Thursday Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said

Israel is expanding its control in Gaza.

Across the Gaza Strip, 16 people were killed and 39 wounded

over the past 48 hours, according to Gaza's health ministry.