Lebanon denounced what it called Israel's plans for "a new occupation of Lebanese territory" on Tuesday, after Israel said it would establish a "security zone" in the country.

Defense Minister Major General Michel Menassa said the remarks by his counterpart Israel Katz were "no longer mere threats", but reflected "a clear intention to impose a new occupation of Lebanese territory, forcibly displace hundreds of thousands of citizens, and systematically destroy villages and towns in the south".

Yemen's Houthis on Wednesday claimed a missile attack targeting Israel that they said was launched jointly with their backer Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah group -- the third such attack by the Houthis since they entered the Middle East war.

The Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen said Wednesday they fired a barrage of ballistic missiles toward Israel.

Israeli strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs and a nearby town killed at least seven people, as Israel's military said it had targeted senior Hezbollah members.

The health ministry said an Israeli raid early Wednesday in the Jnah area, which borders Hezbollah's stronghold in the southern suburbs of Beirut, killed seven people and wounded 26 others.

Ten European countries, including France and the United Kingdom, Tuesday urged all sides to ensure the safety of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon after three peacekeepers were killed in recent days.

Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth said Tuesday that the next days of the Iran war will be "decisive" while refusing to rule out U.S. ground forces playing a role in the conflict.

U.S. President Donald Trump said nations upset by high fuel prices should "go get your own oil" as Iran maintains its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz.

His comments in a social media post on Tuesday came as average U.S. gas prices shot past $4 a gallon.

A strike hit Beirut's southern suburbs on Tuesday, AFPTV's live broadcast showed, after the Israeli military renewed its warning for residents to leave as it attacks the area.

The strike came shortly after Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said the military would occupy a swathe of southern Lebanon even after the end of the war against the armed group.

The EU on Tuesday demanded an investigation into attacks on United Nations peacekeepers in Lebanon, after three Indonesian troops were killed amid fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.

"We call for a thorough investigation to shed light on these grave attacks. These attacks are a grave violation of international law, are totally unacceptable and must stop immediately," EU spokesman Anouar El Anouni said.

Defence Minister Israel Katz on Tuesday said Israel's military would occupy a swathe of southern Lebanon even after the end of the current war against the Hezbollah armed group.

"At the end of the operation, the IDF will establish itself in a security zone inside Lebanon, on a defensive line against anti-tank missiles, and will maintain security control over the entire area up to the Litani," Katz said in a video statement published by his ministry, referring to a river around 30 kilometers from the border.

The Gulf states are unified in calling for a de-escalation of the Middle East war, Qatar said Tuesday as Tehran launched new strikes against its neighbors.

"Our understanding is that there is a very unified position in the Gulf on calling for the de-escalation and an end to the war," Qatar's foreign ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari told a regular news briefing.