U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday emphasized "the need for a diplomatic arrangement to safely return both Lebanese and Israeli civilians to their homes on both sides of the Blue Line," during a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the White House said.

"The President affirmed Israel’s right to protect its citizens from Hezbollah, which has fired thousands of missiles and rockets into Israel over the past year alone, while emphasizing the need to minimize harm to civilians, in particular in the densely populated areas of Beirut," the White House added.

There is no positive progress regarding a ceasefire in Lebanon, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri told Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper, in remarks published Wednesday.

Hezbollah's acting leader Naim Qassem had said in a defiant televised speech earlier this week that Hezbollah backs efforts by Berri to reach a ceasefire.

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati on Wednesday announced that “the Arab and international efforts are still ongoing to halt the Israeli aggression on Lebanon.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed Tuesday that Israel assassinated the projected new Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hashem Safieddine, who was targeted in a massive airstrike in Beirut's southern suburbs on Thursday, claiming also that Israel has killed Safieddine’s replacement, without saying who this would be.

In an English-language video message to the Lebanese public, Netanyahu said that Israel has “degraded Hezbollah’s capabilities; we took out thousands of terrorists, including [longtime Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan] Nasrallah himself, and Nasrallah’s replacement, and the replacement of his replacement.”

The Israeli army said 30 soldiers have been wounded in the past twenty four hours on the Lebanese border as it launched targeted raids against Hezbollah, expanding its ground operations along the country's coastline after deploying more troops.

Hezbollah said it targeted troops in Labouneh near al-Naqoura, where U.N. peacekeepers are headquartered.

Hezbollah deputy chief Sheikh Naim Qassem on Tuesday said the group's military capabilities remained "fine" despite weeks of heavy Israeli airstrikes.

"You see that our daily accomplishments are great. Hundreds of rockets and dozens of aircraft (drones), a great number of (Israeli) settlements and cities have come under rocket fire... I would like to reassure you that our capabilities are fine," Qassem said in a televised address.

U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert and UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander Lt. Gen. Aroldo Lázaro have called for a “negotiated solution” to end the current conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.

The French-U.S. proposal for a ceasefire to end fighting in Lebanon remains on the table, with parties continuing to work on it, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said Monday during a visit to Israel.

He said Israel’s security cannot be guaranteed with military force alone and will require a diplomatic solution.

Marada Movement chief Suleiman Franjieh met Monday in Ain el-Tineh with Speaker Nabih Berri, noting that the latter still supports his presidential nomination.

An Israeli strike that targeted a local firefighting center in Baraachit overnight killed ten firefighters, bringing to 118 the number of rescuers killed in a year, with more than 50 killed by Israeli fire in just a week.

The health ministry said more people were buried under the rubble and the death toll may rise.