The war is expanding into Lebanon, as an Israeli offensive to dismantle Hezbollah has displaced 800,000 people there, with more than 680 people killed.

Israel said it deployed more forces in Lebanon to protect its people, but its military chief said the goal is more ambitious: to disarm Hezbollah. Israel made plans for the incursion well in advance.

Explosions are sending up plumes of smoke in Iran's capital city as the United States says the most intense bombing of the weeklong campaign is coming.

‘There is nothing, no one left’: Inside Lebanon’s destroyed south where Israel threatens ground invasion - ON THE GROUND: For nearly two weeks Israel has been pounding swathes of Lebanon. Bel Trew and Rana Najjar report from Tyre,

By Maya Gebeily BEIRUT, March 13 (Reuters) - Israel has rebuffed a historic offer of direct talks from Lebanon, deeming it too little too late from a government that shares its goal of disarming Hezbollah but cannot act against the heavily armed Lebanese group without risking a civil war.

Residents of Dubai and Doha, Qatar, awoke to the sound of explosions on Tuesday as air defences worked to intercept new waves of incoming Iranian fire, and Israel launched new strikes on Iran and Lebanon,