The latest U.S. push for a ceasefire in Lebanon has fizzled just as Israel is expanding its ground invasion and seeking a U.S. green light to conduct massive strikes on Hezbollah targets in Beirut's southern suburbs, sources told U.S. news portal Axios.

Israel's government ordered strikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut on Monday, a day after its ground forces reached their deepest point in Lebanon in 26 years and as Hezbollah fired rockets at northern Israel including the outskirts of coastal city of Haifa.

A joint statement by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz said that following what they called repeated violations of the ceasefire by Hezbollah and the "attacks against our cities and citizens," they have ordered the Israeli military to attack targets in Beirut's southern suburbs known in Arabic as Dahieh.

The Israeli army announced Monday that two of its soldiers had been killed in separate incidents in southern Lebanon, bringing to 27 the number of Israeli military deaths since early March.

President Joseph Aoun said Monday that Lebanon was facing "a vicious and reprehensible Israeli aggression", after Israel stepped up its offensive against Hezbollah with the capture of the medieval Beaufort Castle.

Aoun condemned the Israeli offensive in a post on X and pledged to "work to end the suffering of the Lebanese people, and people in the south in particular".

President Joseph Aoun is leading intensive efforts with the Americans in an attempt to reach a ceasefire or de-escalation and to halt the Israeli advance, the al-Modon news portal reported on Sunday

An Israeli strike near a hospital in Tyre, south Lebanon wounded 13 staffers, the Lebanese health ministry said, as Israel pushes forward its offensive deeper into the country.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday said he ordered the Israeli army to deepen its deployment in Hezbollah strongholds north of the Litani River, noting that "soon Hezbollah will no longer have the ability to threaten northern Israel."

France has requested an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council after Israeli forces seized the medieval Beaufort castle in Lebanon, the French foreign minister said Sunday.

Israel's flag flew over the medieval fortress on Beaufort in Lebanon on Sunday as it warned Lebanese civilians to evacuate a large area of the south of the country ahead of stepped up ground operations.

Shelling was audible and smoke rose from the surrounding area as the invading army's banner was seen by AFP above the castle, which Israeli forces famously used as a base during their previous two-decade long occupation.

The Israeli army announced Sunday that one of its soldiers had been killed the previous day by a Hezbollah explosive drone in southern Lebanon, bringing to 25 the number of Israeli military deaths since early March.