Israeli troops are understood to have made their deepest incursion into southern Lebanese territory since the recent offensive began on October 1, as the militant group Hezbollah considered its response to a fresh ceasefire proposal.

As a top adviser to Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei visited Lebanon for talks, Lebanese officials said a U.S. proposal for a cease-fire deal had been passed on to Hezbollah.

Israel has stepped up strikes on the city’s southern suburbs in recent days, an area Israeli officials say hosts Hezbollah militants and infrastructure.