UN chief says 'diplomatic avenues' available to stop war in Lebanon

U.N. chief Antonio Guterres said Saturday on a visit to Beirut that diplomatic channels remained open to end the war between Israel and Hezbollah and urged the international community to support Lebanon.

Lebanon was dragged into the Middle East war last week when Hezbollah attacked Israel in response to the killing of Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in U.S.-Israeli strikes, and the Tehran-backed group's leader has said the militants were ready for a long confrontation with Israel.

On Saturday, Israel kept up strikes on Lebanon as Hezbollah claimed attacks against northern Israel and Beirut said the death toll in the country since March 2 had climbed to 826, including 106 children.

U.S. news site Axios reported on Saturday that Israel was planning a major ground invasion of Lebanon "aiming to seize the entire area south of the Litani River", citing US and Israeli officials.

The area, covering hundreds of square miles, is already subject to Israeli evacuation warnings.

Guterres, however, insisted "there is no military solution, only diplomacy" and dialogue.

The U.N. chief arrived in Beirut on Friday for what he called a solidarity visit, and launched a $325 million humanitarian appeal to support Lebanon as it responds to the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people amid sweeping Israeli army evacuation orders.

Guterres urged the international community to "step up your engagement, empower the Lebanese state" and support the army, which has committed to disarming Hezbollah.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Saturday that Ankara feared Israel could commit "genocide" in Lebanon and called for the international community to intervene.

Turkey has been fiercely critical of Israel since the start of the Gaza war.

- Paramedics -

The health ministry said 31 paramedics had been killed this month, after the bodies of additional health workers were found following an overnight strike that authorities said hit a healthcare centre in Burj Qalawiya in the country's south, killing doctors, paramedics and nurses.

The Hezbollah-affiliated Islamic Health Committee said the centre was one of its facilities, pledging such attacks would not deter it from "performing our humanitarian duty".

The Israeli military accused Hezbollah of using ambulances militarily, and its spokesman Avichay Adraee warned that Israel would act "in accordance with international law against any military activity" by any Hezbollah use of medical facilities or ambulances.

Lebanon's health ministry accused Israel of repeatedly "targeting ambulance crews while they were performing rescue duties".

The Israeli army said that it had struck Hezbollah operatives on Friday "who were bringing rockets into a weapons depot" in Majedel, near Burj Qalawiya.

It also said it had struck "approximately 110 Hezbollah command centers" since the regional conflict broke out.

Kandice Ardiel, spokesperson for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, told AFP on Saturday that one of the peacekeepers' positions near Mais al-Jabal was hit a day earlier, "likely by heavy machine gun fire", with one peacekeeper lightly wounded, and said the force had launched an investigation.

French President Emmanuel Macron said the Lebanese government was ready to engage in "direct talks" with Israel and offered to host negotiations in Paris, warning that "everything must be done to prevent Lebanon from descending into chaos".