UN refugee agency warns that Lebanon is facing a worsening humanitarian crisis following what it described as the most intense Israeli strikes in the current conflict.

Five people were killed and others wounded in a series of Israeli airstrikes on several villages and towns in southern Lebanon.

A British drone flew over Lebanon and circled near Baalbek on Wednesday, the day Israel hit Lebanon with a wave of strikes that killed more than 300 people - including 18 in the Bekaa Valley city. A Middle East Eye analysis of flight-tracking data has found that a Royal Air Force MQ-9B Protector drone departed from the RAF Akrotiri base in Cyprus on Wednesday morning and began flying over Lebanon at around 6:20am.

PM, Trump reportedly held 'tense' call on Lebanon, with Netanyahu fearing US would declare unilateral truce with Hezbollah if he didn't accede; terror group urges Beirut to hold firm

Only one oil products tanker and five separate dry bulk carriers have sailed through the Strait of Hormuz in the past 24 hours, according to analysis of data from ship trackers.

Israel has launched renewed strikes on southern Lebanon as it continues to press forward with a ground invasion, while also waging new attacks on Beirut shortly after striking areas around the capital that had been so far removed from the conflict.

U.S. President Donald Trump appeared to cast doubt on the effectiveness of the two-week ceasefire over Iran's continued chokehold over the Strait of Hormuz, while Kuwait accused Iran and its proxies of launching drone attacks targeting it on Thursday despite the ceasefire.