Lebanon says 182 killed in morning offensive by Israel on Hezbollah targets | BBC News

Lebanon's health ministry says at least 182 people have been killed and hundreds more wounded in Israel strikes today.

The UN has said the Middle East is on the "brink of imminent catastrophe" as tensions rise in the region, with the US also calling on Israel to avoid fighting with Hezbollah.

Israel says strikes against Hezbollah are "deepening" as citizens in southern Lebanon have received phone messages warning them to leave places used by the Iran-backed group.

A Lebanese minister calls the messages "psychological war" while Israel's defence minister says strikes will continue "until we achieve our goals - to return the residents of the north safely to their homes".